Cone-Beam CT-Guided Chemoembolization in Patients with Complete Response after Previous Chemoembolization but Subsequent Elevated α-Fetoprotein without Overt Hepatocellular Carcinoma

J Vasc Interv Radiol. 2019 Aug;30(8):1273-1280. doi: 10.1016/j.jvir.2019.03.020. Epub 2019 Jun 22.

Abstract

Purpose: To evaluate the performance of C-arm computed tomography (CT)-guided chemoembolization in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) with serum α-fetoprotein (AFP) level > 20 ng/mL but with no overt tumor on CT and/or magnetic resonance imaging.

Materials and methods: From May 2010 to May 2017, 34 patients with HCC (25 men and 9 women; mean age, 59.7 y) who had elevated serum AFP levels (> 20 ng/mL) but no overt tumor on 6-mo imaging studies and had shown complete response (CR) after previous chemoembolization underwent C-arm CT-guided conventional chemoembolization. Three radiologists retrospectively reviewed the imaging studies (preprocedural images, C-arm CT scans, and follow-up images) in consensus, and clinical data including AFP levels were retrospectively obtained. Tumor detection by C-arm CT and treatment response after chemoembolization were assessed.

Results: HCC was imaged at the time of chemoembolization in 24 of 34 patients (70.6%). C-arm CT detected tumors in 25 patients (73.5%); 23 detections were true positives, 2 were false positives, and 1 was a false negative (diaphragm metastasis). Among the 23 patients with true-positive results, the first follow-up enhanced imaging studies showed CR (n = 17), partial response (n = 1), progressive disease (n = 4), and indeterminate status (n = 1; treated by percutaneous ethanol injection).

Conclusions: C-arm CT-guided chemoembolization may help to detect and treat recurrent tumors in patients who have shown CR after previous chemoembolization but subsequently, during follow-up surveillance, had serum AFP levels > 20 ng/mL without an overt tumor evident on imaging studies.

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / blood
  • Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / diagnostic imaging*
  • Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / therapy*
  • Chemoembolization, Therapeutic* / adverse effects
  • Cone-Beam Computed Tomography* / adverse effects
  • False Negative Reactions
  • False Positive Reactions
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Liver Neoplasms / blood
  • Liver Neoplasms / diagnostic imaging*
  • Liver Neoplasms / therapy*
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Predictive Value of Tests
  • Radiography, Interventional / adverse effects
  • Radiography, Interventional / methods*
  • Reproducibility of Results
  • Retrospective Studies
  • Time Factors
  • Treatment Outcome
  • Up-Regulation
  • alpha-Fetoproteins / metabolism*

Substances

  • AFP protein, human
  • alpha-Fetoproteins