Journal of Ultrasound in Medicine, Vol 10, Issue 11 619-623, Copyright © 1991 by American Institute of Ultrasound in Medicine
Duplex pulsed Doppler sonography of hepatocellular carcinoma treated with transcatheter arterial embolization
Z. Y. Lin, W. Y. Chang, L. Y. Wang, S. C. Chen, W. L. Chuang, M. Y. Hsieh and J. F. Tsai
Department of Internal Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical College Hospital, Taiwan, Republic of China.
Thirty-one patients with hepatocellular carcinoma underwent duplex scanning
of their lesions with comparative angiography and serum alpha-fetoprotein
determinations before and after transcatheter arterial embolization. Duplex
ultrasound correctly identified 26 patients with patent tumor vessels after
embolization. The Doppler signals became undetectable after embolization in
the other five patients. Comparative angiography demonstrated good
devascularization of their lesions. However, tiny tumor blush or small
satellite nodules around the periphery of the devascularized masses were
found. Therefore, the presence of signals after therapy indubitably needs
further embolization. The timing of the second embolization for the patient
with undetectable Doppler signals after the first embolization needs to be
justified by further evaluations.
