HCC Nodules (hcc + nodule)

Distribution by Scientific Domains


Selected Abstracts


A novel image-guided surgery of hepatocellular carcinoma by indocyanine green fluorescence imaging navigation

JOURNAL OF SURGICAL ONCOLOGY, Issue 1 2009
Kunihito Gotoh MD
Abstract Background and Objectives The clear delineation between tumor and normal tissue is ideal for real-time surgical navigation imaging. We present a novel indocyanine green (ICG) fluorescence imaging technique to visualize hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Methods Ten patients with solitary HCC underwent hepatectomy between February and September 2007 at Osaka Medical Center for Cancer and Cardiovascular Diseases. ICG had been injected intravenously several days before surgery at a dose of 0.5 mg/kg body weight. After laparotomy, the liver was inspected with intraoperative ultrasonography (IOUS), and then with a near-infrared (NIR) fluorescence imaging system (PDE; Hamamatsu Photonics K.K. Hamamatsu, Japan). Results All the 10 primary tumors showed bright fluorescent signals and could be completely removed with negative margins under the guide of PDE. In four cases (40.0%), new HCC nodules that were not detected by use of any preoperative examinations including IOUS were detected by PDE. These newly identified HCC nodules were very small in size and most of the tumors were well-differentiated HCCs. Conclusions This novel technique is simple and safe, and is therefore considered to be a promising tool for routine intraoperative imaging during a hepatic resection and further clinical exploration for HCC. J. Surg. Oncol. 2009;100:75,79. © 2009 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source]


Usefulness of contrast-enhanced ultrasonography with abdominal virtual ultrasonography in assessing therapeutic response in hepatocellular carcinoma treated with radiofrequency ablation

LIVER INTERNATIONAL, Issue 10 2006
Yoshiyasu Kisaka
Abstract: Objective: Contrast-enhanced computed tomography (CECT) is regarded as the gold standard for assessing the efficacy of radiofrequency ablation (RFA) against hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). We evaluated the efficacy of virtual ultrasonography (VUS) with contrast-enhanced ultrasonography (CEUS) vs. CECT for assessing the response to RFA. Materials and methods: Study 1: The therapeutic responses in 22 patients with 26 HCC nodules were assessed by CEUS with VUS as well as by CECT. The efficacy of treatment was based on whether the safety margin was greater than 5 mm after RFA. Study 2: In seven patients with seven HCC nodules, the nodules were treated by RFA and the therapeutic efficacy was assessed by CEUS with VUS. The number of RFA sessions was assessed. Results: Compared with CECT, CEUS with VUS had a specificity of 77%, a sensitivity of 91.6%, and an accuracy of 84%. When the therapeutic response to RFA was analyzed by CECT only, 1.86±0.69 assessments (mean) were required, while when response was assessed by CEUS with VUS, 1.14±0.38 CECT assessments were required (P=0.03). Conclusion: CEUS with VUS is effective in assessing the therapeutic response to RFA of HCC. Moreover, the number of CECT scans required is reduced by this approach. [source]


Percutaneous ablation procedures in cirrhotic patients with hepatocellular carcinoma submitted to liver transplantation: Assessment of efficacy at explant analysis and of safety for tumor recurrence

LIVER TRANSPLANTATION, Issue 9 2005
Maurizio Pompili
Aims of this retrospective study were to analyze the efficacy and safety of percutaneous ethanol injection (PEI) and radiofrequency ablation (RFA) in cirrhotic patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) submitted to orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT). We studied 40 patients undergoing OLT in whom 46 HCC nodules had been treated with PEI (13 nodules), RFA (30 nodules), or PEI+RFA (3 nodules). Child-Turcotte-Pugh class was A in 18 cases, B in 18, and C in 4. The mean waiting time for OLT was 9.5 months. The effectiveness of ablation techniques was evaluated by histological examination of the explanted livers. Complete necrosis was found in 19 nodules (41.3%), partial or absent necrosis in 27 nodules (58.7%). Among the 30 nodules treated by RFA, 14 were completely necrotic (46.7%) and 16 demonstrated partial necrosis (53.3%). Considering the 13 neoplasms undergoing PEI, 3 nodules showed complete necrosis (23.1%), 6 partial necrosis (46.1%), and 4 absent necrosis (30.8%). The rate of complete necrosis was 53.1% for nodules smaller than 3 cm and 14.3% for larger lesions (P = 0.033) but increased to 61.9% when considering only the lesions smaller than 3 cm treated by RFA. During the follow up, HCC recurred in 3 patients treated by PEI. No cases of HCC recurrence at the abdominal wall level were recorded. Percutaneous ablation procedures are effective treatments in cirrhotic patients with HCC submitted to OLT and are not associated to an increased risk of tumor recurrence. RFA provides complete necrosis in most nodules smaller than 3 cm, and appears to be the best treatment option in these cases. (Liver Transpl 2005;11:1117,1126.) [source]