Altered hepatic hemodynamics caused by temporary occlusion of the right hepatic vein: evaluation with Doppler US in 14 patients

PURPOSE: To evaluate with Doppler ultrasonography (US) the altered hepatic hemodynamics caused by temporary occlusion of the right hepatic vein. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The study group consisted of 14 patients being considered for hepatic arterial infusion or transarterial embolization. In all patients, maximum peak velocity of the blood flow in the right portal vein was measured with Doppler US before and during the occlusion of the right hepatic vein. In 13 patients, color Doppler US was performed to evaluate Doppler signal in the portal venous branch in the occluded area before and during occlusion. Average peak velocity in the right hepatic artery in eight patients was measured by using a transducer-tipped guide wire before and during occlusion. RESULTS: Maximum peak velocity of the right portal vein significantly decreased with occlusion (P <.01). Hepatic venous occlusion changed the Doppler signal in the portal venous branch in the occluded area from hepatopetal to no signal in 10 patients; to weakened hepatopetal in two; and to hepatofugal in one. Average peak velocity of the right hepatic artery showed a decrease or plateau for 15-30 seconds after the start of occlusion and then a rapid increase to reach a plateau at around 75-90 seconds, with 1.5-2 times as much velocity as that before occlusion. CONCLUSION: Increase in hepatic arterial velocity is accompanied by a decrease in the portal velocity with temporary occlusion of the right hepatic vein; the expected increased drainage through the portal vein was almost undetectable.     

Hepatic arteriography under temporary hepatic venous occlusion]

Hepatic arteriography with and without temporary segmental hepatic vein occlusion was performed in 10 patients, five of whom had chronic liver injury. Hepatic arteriograms obtained during hepatic venous obstruction demonstrated significantly more peripheral and definite arterial branches in the occluded area and fewer peripheral branches in the non-occluded segment. A prolonged, dense hepatogram (sinusoidogram) showing hepatofugal opacification of the portal vein was obtained in the occluded area. Only one case with a large veno-venous anastomosis did not show these findings. Hepatic arteriograms in two cases with hepatocellular carcinoma provided clear visualization of peripheral portal branches that could act as efferent tumor vessels during regional temporary hepatic vein occlusion. Temporary hepatic venous occlusion may cause a sudden increase of hepatic arterial flow in the occluded area and transsinusoidal arterioportal communication there. This method can be useful for the diagnosis and arterial infusion or embolization therapy of hepatic diseases.     

Low infusion rate digital subtraction angiography to predict regional perfusion in hepatic arterial chemotherapy

Digital substraction angiography (DSA) with a low injection rate of contrast (0.5 ml/sec) was studied as a means of predicting the regional perfusion of percutaneously placed catheters for hepatic arterial chemotherapy. In 64 hepatic artery catheter placements, conventional injection rate angiography (3–5 ml/sec) and low infusion rate DSA exams were compared to conventional radionuclide perfusion studies performed with Tc-99m-MAA. In 58 of 64 cases (90.6%) the conventional arteriogram correctly predicted the extent of hepatic perfusion, whereas in 63 of 64 cases (98%), the low flow DSA exam correctly predicted hepatic perfusion. The conventional arteriogram correctly predicted the extent of extrahepatic perfusion in 32 cases (50%), with a sensitivity of 100%, but a specificity of only 39.6%. The DSA exam was correct in defining the presence or absence of extrahepatic perfusion in 57 of 64 cases for a sensitivity of 82% and a specificity of 91%. Despite the quantitative difference between the low infusion rate DSA study and the chemotherapy infusion (10 ml/hr), it is a useful tool to assist in the correct positioning of temporary catheters for hepatic arterial chemotherapy.     

肝动脉门静脉双介入化疗栓塞治疗原发性肝癌

目的探讨肝动脉门静脉双介入化疗栓塞方法治疗原发性肝癌的可行性及临床应用。方法28例原发性肝癌患者均行超声引导下经皮穿肝至门脉造影同时行股动脉穿刺肝动脉置管造影。依据肿瘤所属肝动脉、门静脉分支的范围,数目及血流情况选择适当化疗药物和栓塞剂进行治疗。结果手术后1个月复查肿瘤均有不同程度缩小,碘油沉积大部分良好。4例患者正准备接受二期手术切除。无严重并发症出现。8例患者术后1周出现一过性肝功能异常,经保肝治疗2周后好转。结论肝动脉门静脉双介入化疗栓塞治疗原发性肝癌是安全有效的方法。     

Angiography of liver transplantation patients

Over 45 months, 119 angiographic examinations were performed in 95 patients prior to liver transplantation, and 53 examinations in 44 patients after transplantation. Transplantation feasibility was influenced by patency of the portal vein and inferior vena cava. Selective arterial portography, wedged hepatic venography, and transhepatic portography were used to assess the portal vein if sonography or computed tomography was inconclusive. Major indications for angiography after transplantation included early liver failure, sepsis, unexplained elevation of liver enzyme levels, and delayed bile leakage, all of which may be due to hepatic artery thrombosis. Other indications included gastrointestinal tract bleeding, hemobilia, and evaluation of portal vein patency in patients with chronic rejection who were being considered for retransplantation. Normal radiographic features of hepatic artery and portal vein reconstruction are demonstrated. Complications diagnosed using results of angiography included hepatic artery or portal vein stenoses and thromboses and pancreaticoduodenal aneurysms. Intrahepatic arterial narrowing, attenuation, slow flow, and poor filling were seen in five patients with rejection.     

Hepatic blood flow in patients treated by continuous hepatic artery infusion chemotherapy]

Hepatic blood flow in tumor and nontumor regions was studied in four patients with hepatocellular carcinoma and in 16 patients with metastatic liver tumors. The regional hepatic blood flow was measured with the tissue clearance of 133Xe delivered through the implantable drug infusion system. The regional hepatic arterial/portal blood flow ratio was also measured by means of intravenous injection of 99mTc-stannous phytate. Mean hepatic arterial blood flow ratio of tumor regions was higher than that of nontumor regions (81.83 +/- 24.55% vs. 46.64 +/- 20.05%; p less than 0.01). This result suggests that hepatic arterial blood flow is increased in tumor regions of the liver. In tumor regions, the regional blood flow of the hepatic artery was inversely correlated with the mass reduction rate. In the lesions that showed a higher mass reduction rate by the continuous drug infusion treatment, the endothelial damage of the arterial wall and tumor necrosis seem to decrease blood flow. From this study, measurement of regional hepatic blood flow and hepatic arterial/portal blood flow ratio may be useful to evaluate the effectiveness of treatment for hepatic tumors.     

Angiographic Findings in Biliary Atresia

We present the angiographic findings of 46 patients with biliary atresia (BA). There were 25 males and 21 females, with a mean age of 22.5 months (range - 1.5 to 141 months). Hepatic and mesenteric angiography were obtained as part of a liver transplantation work-up or as part of the treatment of clinical events. All patients had a histological diagnosis of BA. The portal vein was patent in 43 patients, with a mean size of 4.1 mm, using the arterial catheter as comparison. Portal hepatopetal flow was observed in 20 patient and hepatofugal flow was observed in 21 patients. Presence of gastroesophageal varices was observed in 41 patients. The hepatic artery was enlarged in all patients. In all 46 patients studied, the intrahepatic peripheral hepatic artery branches presented with irregularities in contour, including encasement, strictures, dilatation and angulation, and images suggestive of peripheral occlusion. Angiographic vascular tuft-like blush surrounding the irregular or occluded peripheral arterial segments was observed in 40 patients. The injection of Microfil ® in one case showed a marked vascular proliferation within the portal tract, apparently derived from arterial and portal connections, filling the entire portal space. We conclude that the presence of angiographically demonstrable perivascular arterial tufts in the periphery of the hepatic arterial circulation is a common finding in cases of BA, and may be a characteristic diagnostic angiographic finding.     

Diagnosis of hepatocellular carcinoma by factor analysis

We examined the usefulness of factor analysis for the diagnosis of hepatocellular carcinoma by analysis of the data obtained by radionuclide angiography. The data could be separated into two factors, a hepatic phase (hepatic artery and portal vein) and an arterial phase (aorta and kidney). In patients with hepatocellular carcinoma, the factor of the tumor is included in the arterial phase, so that the cancerous region could be differentiated from the noncancerous region. The ratio of the radioactivity of the cancerous region to the noncancerous region was used to estimate the blood flow of the tumor region.     

不同途径门脉靶向给药治疗鼠肝硬化门脉高压的可行性研究

目的　探索合适的门脉局部给药治疗门脉高压症的途径。方法　采用四氧化碳 (CCl4 )诱发的鼠肝硬化门脉高压模型。将哌唑嗪分别从下腔静脉、门静脉、肝动脉输注和脾直接穿刺给药 ,比较4种途径给药后门脉压 (PVP)、下腔静脉压 (ICVP)、平均动脉压 (MAP)和心率 (HR)的变化情况。结果　哌唑嗪经门脉、肝动脉和脾脏注入使PVP平均下降 18.6 %、18.6 %和 14.8% ,三者无明显差别 ,明显高于下腔静脉注入 ,后者平均下降 10 .3% ,经门脉、肝动脉和脾脏注入使MAP下降分别为 :12 .4%、14.5 %和 18.9% ,明显低于下腔静脉注入 ,后者使MAP下降 2 4.1%。 4种途径对心率的影响无差别。结论　哌唑嗪经肝动脉和脾脏注入同样具有经门脉注入治疗门脉高压的优点 ,即降门脉压作用强 ,对全身血流动力学影响小 ;肝动脉植泵注入扩血管性降门脉压药物是临床上可采用的药物治疗门脉高压的方法。     

Intraarterial digital subtraction arteriography in the diagnosis and treatment of hepatic tumors

Intraarterial digital subtraction arteriography (IADSA) was performed in 94 patients with hepatic tumors and evaluated on the following subjects: 1) visualization of small arteries in arterial phase, compared with film study, 2) visualization of faint tumor stains in hepatogram phase, compared with film study, 3) visualization of portal venous branches by intraarterial digital subtraction portography (IADSP). Interventional angiography was performed in 76 patients. Contrast dose and injection rate of IADSA was approximately a third of film study without dilution. The position of the catheter was identical in IADSA and film study. IADSPs were performed with 15-20 ml of 76% Urografin, which was injected into the superior mesenteric artery at the rate of 5 ml/sec after infusion of prostaglandin E1. Comparison in arterial phase of 67 patients showed 24 (36%) IADSAs were equal to film study. Thirty-nine (58%) were inferior but adequate for the diagnosis of hepatic tumors. Comparison in hepatogram phase showed 24 (38%) IADSAs were superior to film study and all were satisfactory for the diagnostic purposes. Ninety-eight percent of 86 IADSPs gave information about the patency of the main portal vein. Fifty-five percent of IADSPs opacified third-order portal vein branches or further. IADSA of hepatic tumors not only save time and contrast dose but was also satisfactory in image quality for interventional angiography.     

Hepatic artery infusion and chemoembolization in the management of liver metastases

Hepatic metastases rather than the primary neoplasm usually dictate the course of the disease and the patient's survival. For unresectable disease, intraarterial infusion of chemotherapy, embolization, and chemoembolization are viable alternatives. Intraarterial therapy for hepatic metastases is based on the dual blood supply of the normal liver (portal vein, 75%, and hepatic artery, 25%) and that of the tumors (hepatic artery, 90%). Intraarterial infusion delivers a higher concentration of chemotherapy, whereas chemoembolization adds ischemia and increased contact time with the tumor. Selective vascular occlusion for infusion, redistribution of the blood supply and pulsatile flow enhance the delivery of therapeutic agents to the liver.     

CT arterial portography: causes of technical failure and variable liver enhancement.

OBJECTIVE. We studied the causes of technical failure and enhancement variability encountered during CT arterial portography. MATERIALS AND METHODS. CT arterial portograms and digital arteriograms were obtained via the superior mesenteric artery before partial liver resection in 43 patients with malignant tumors. These studies were reviewed for causes of technical failure and variable enhancement. RESULTS. Eleven (26%) of 43 procedures were technical failures. Causes of failure included aortic injection after catheter dislodgement (four), dense hyperenhancement associated with laminar flow in the portal vein produced by rapid venous return from a selective injection into a proximal branch vessel of the superior mesenteric artery (two), premature scanning beginning at the iliac crest (two), reflux into a replaced right hepatic artery (one), hepatic arterial enhancement via the pancreaticoduodenal arcade (one), and portal hypertension (one). Of the 32 remaining studies, 28 showed areas of parenchymal hypoenhancement or hyperenhancement. Causes of variable enhancement included impaired portal vein perfusion from mass effect of the tumor, laminar flow in the portal vein, and focal fatty infiltration. CONCLUSION. Technical failures and enhancement variability are common in CT arterial portography. Factors leading to technical failure include catheter choice and position, portal hypertension, and operator error.     

A Simplified Technique of Percutaneous Hepatic Artery Port-Catheter Insertion for the Treatment of Advanced Hepatocellular Carcinoma with Portal Vein Invasion

Objective

We assessed the outcomes of a simplified technique for the percutaneous placement of a hepatic artery port-catheter system for chemotherapy infusion in advanced hepatocellular carcinoma with portal vein invasion.

Materials and Methods

From February 2003 to February 2008, percutaneous hepatic artery port-catheter insertion was performed in 122 patients who had hepatocellular carcinoma with portal vein invasion. The arterial access route was the common femoral artery. The tip of the catheter was wedged into the right gastroepiploic artery without an additional fixation device. A side hole was positioned at the distal common hepatic artery to allow the delivery of chemotherapeutic agents into the hepatic arteries. Coil embolization was performed only to redistribute to the hepatic arteries or to prevent the inadvertent delivery of chemotherapeutic agents into extrahepatic arteries. The port chamber was created at either the supra-inguinal or infra-inguinal region.

Results

Technical success was achieved in all patients. Proper positioning of the side hole was checked before each scheduled chemotherapy session by port angiography. Catheter-related complications occurred in 19 patients (16%). Revision was achieved in 15 of 18 patients (83%).

Conclusion

This simplified method demonstrates excellent technical feasibility, an acceptable range of complications, and is hence recommended for the management of advanced hepatocellular carcinoma with portal vein thrombosis.     

多层螺旋CT对肝移植受体手术前后评估

目的探讨多层螺旋CT血管造影（MSCTA）对原位肝移植受体手术前后的评估. 资料与方法对14例临床拟行肝移植受体进行MSCT多期增强扫描,并行2D、3D血管重建,观察肝脏、血管情况.5例行原位肝移植手术患者的MSCTA图像与手术对照分析. 结果 14例患者的肝脏病变及肝动脉和门静脉系血管结构清晰显示,其中肝硬化6例,肝硬化合并肝癌5例,Budd-Chiari综合征1例,Budd-Chiari综合征合并肝硬化1例,Budd-Chiari综合征合并小肝癌1例. 肝动脉解剖走行常见型11例,变异3例,腹腔干狭窄2例,肝动脉狭窄1例,脾动脉瘤1例.显示门静脉系血栓5例,门脉高压侧支循环形成6例;胆管结石3例.5例肝移植受体术前门脉癌栓1例,门脉高压侧支循环形成3例,术后未发现并发症. 结论 MSCTA对肝移植受体术前术后提供更多准确的信息,具有很好的应用前景.     

Is identification of malignant lesions of the liver and of hemangiomas possible by Doppler ultrasonography and radionuclide angiography?

The aim of this study was to try to diagnose malignant liver lesions and hemangiomas by means of vascularisation and perfusion studies. The study was performed in 32 patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), in 74 with metastatic liver carcinoma (MLC) and in 40 with hemangiomas (H). Color Doppler ultrasonography (DUS) was done with an ATL Ultramark 9 apparatus with convex probe 2.5 MHz using pulse and DUS. Hepatic radionuclide angiography (HRA) was performed with bolus injection of 740 MBq (99m)Tc-pertechnetate, (1 min, 1 f/s), using ROTA scintillation camera and MicroDelta computer. Hepatic perfusion index (HPI) indicated the percentage of the portal blood inflow to the liver. Our results showed that in HCC and MLC there was a decrease of portal inflow while arterial inflow was increased resulting in pulse arterial wave velocity increase and in continuous venous waves velocity in the tumors. There was significant linear correlation between the increase of the arterial inflow and the arterial pulse wave found in the center and in the margin of the tumors. In hemangiomas, hepatic perfusion index related to arterial inflow was within normal range. In conclusion, our results suggest that HCC and MLC have specific characteristics in vascular and/or perfusion studies while hemangiomas show normal liver parenchyma findings.     

血管性介入在肝脏移植中的应用

目的探讨血管性介入技术在肝脏移植前后诊治中的应用。方法对2003年1月~2005年2月对拟行肝脏移植的30例患者术前行肝动脉、肠系膜上动脉选择造影及经肠系膜上动脉间接门静脉造影;并对6例肝脏移植术后怀疑血管并发症的患者行造影及介入下溶栓及内支架治疗。结果30例患者术前造影中提示肝癌11例;4例患者动脉造影显示动脉血管变异。29例患者间接门脉造影成功,其中2例肝癌患者发现门脉癌栓,26例存在不同程度的静脉曲张。对6例怀疑胆道和血管并发症的患者作血管造影及相关介入治疗。其中2例成功行狭窄动脉吻合口金属内支架治疗,1例行动脉溶栓治疗,造影显示肝动脉血流恢复通畅;其他3例介入治疗效果不满意。结论血管造影能够提供准确的动脉和门静脉解剖和变异信息;血管介入技术有助于对肝移植术后早期血管并发症诊断和处理。     

Percutaneous catheter placement for hepatic arterial infusion chemotherapy

Hepatic arterial infusion chemotherapy employs a hepatic artery catheter as a conduit to achieve a high concentration of antineoplastic agents to liver tumors. Historically, this catheter placement has been performed via laparotomy. However, it may now be performed using less-invasive percutaneous image guided procedures. There are many anatomical hepatic arterial variations and complicated blood flow patterns. Various techniques are required to ensure high concentration of antineoplastic agents in liver tumors. These techniques are composed of arterial redistribution by embolization, percutaneous catheter placement applying "tip-fixation method," and evaluation and management of flow patterns that reflect drug distribution. The role of interventional radiologists in hepatic arterial infusion chemotherapy is to create and manage the access to achieve these objectives.     

Hepatic perfusion changes in patients with cirrhosis indices of hepatic arterial blood flow.

PURPOSE: This study used radionuclide angiography to evaluate semiquantitatively the hepatic arterial blood flow changes associated with cirrhosis. METHODS: The parameters of net arterial hepatic perfusion were estimated by analysis of first-pass flow studies in 11 control participants and in 15 patients with cirrhosis (Child-Pugh classification B-C). Hepatic, renal, and splenic time-activity curves were generated, normalized per pixel, and corrected for background. The rate of hepatic arterial blood flow was compared with the reference kidney and spleen perfusion using the hepatorenal and hepatolienal perfusion indices, respectively. These indices were defined as: PI = area under hepatic curve limited by time of the renal (splenic) curve peak/area under renal (splenic) curve to its peak RESULTS: The values of both these perfusion indices are significantly greater in the patients with cirrhosis than in controls (hepatorenal perfusion index, P < 0.01; hepatolienal perfusion index, P < 0.05). The values of the hepatic perfusion index (the ratio of the arterial to the total liver blood flow), which were also calculated, were elevated in the patients with cirrhosis (P < 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: The results confirm that the net hepatic arterial blood flow is increased in patients with cirrhosis. Radionuclide angiography accompanied by calculation of arterial perfusion indices may provide semiquantitative parameters of net hepatic arterial blood flow.     

Hemodynamic effects of a prostacyclin analog (Prostavasin) in systemic scleroderma patients

PURPOSE: We examined the effects of a prostacyclin analogue (Prostavasin) on the circulation of upper extremity, cerebral, ocular and visceral districts such as portal vein, hepatic artery, superior mesenteric artery, and interlobar renal artery in scleroderma patients. MATERIALS AND METHODS: peripheral vasculature was evaluated by the brachial artery flow-mediated dilatation by the high resolution ultrasound cross-sectional measurement, splenic arterial pulsatility index (PI) resistance index (RI) of the middle cerebral artery, the central retinal artery, the visceral arteries and the portal vein flow were assessed by colour Doppler sonography in an experimental group (EG) of 50 scleroderma patients, not affected by cerebrovascular, ocular, hepatic diseases or nephropathy, before and after 3 days of Prostavasin infusion and before and after 3 days in a control group (CG) of 10 patients not receiving any treatment. RESULTS: EG patients showed significant increasement in the brachial artery flow-mediated dilatation, in the portal vein velocity and in the splenic arterial PI (pre-Prostavasin vs post-Prostavasin treatment, p < 0.001) whereas CG patients had no significant changes. Values of the middle cerebral artery, the central retinal artery, the interlobar renal artery, the superior mesenteric artery and the hepatic artery RI were reduced after treatment in the majority of EG patients although the difference did not achieve a satisfactory statistical significance. CONCLUSIONS: our results indicate that Prostavasin has a powerful effect in improving the peripheral circulation of scleroderma patients. Prostavasin significantly increases the portal vein flow but also the splenic arterial PI not supporting the hypothesis of its direct and specific action on relaxation of the hepatic micro circle.     

The correlation between MR and angiography in portal hypertension

Forty-two MR examinations and hepatic panangiograms in 38 patients with portal hypertension were correlated with MR images to determine the ability of MR to detect portal vein hemodynamics. These studies were prospectively analyzed for degree of portal perfusion and direction of flow, portal vein thrombosis, and presence and type of shunt surgery. Thirty-three MR examinations were determined to have grade I (good) or II (fair) portal blood flow. Twenty-nine of these were grade I or II by angiography; the other four were grade IV. Of the eight cases documented as grade IV (hepatofugal portal blood flow) by angiography, none were considered grade IV by MR, suggesting that MR was unable to detect retrograde flow. The other case was not graded because of cavernous transformation of the portal vein. MR correlated well with angiography for the detection or absence of portal vein thrombus, agreeing with angiography in 41 of 42 cases. Two angiographically proven cases of portal vein thrombosis were correctly identified on MR. MR correctly identified the absence of portal vein clot in 39 of 40 angiographically negative cases. MR and angiography also agreed in 41 of 42 cases that a shunt was either present/absent or patent/occluded. The single error was due to inadequate MR scanning in the region of interest. The results show that MR cannot be used to grade blood flow in the portal vein. However, MR accurately detects portal vein thrombosis and the patency of surgical shunts.