Department of Radiology, Seoul National University College of Medicine
ABSTRACT
PURPOSE : The objective of this study is to analyze short-term results of percutaneous ethanol injectiontherapy for the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma. MATERIALS & METHODS : Thirty patients(36 lesions) withhapatocellular carcinoma were diagnosed by either biopsy(l3 lesions) or clinical features, tumor marker study, anddiagnostic imagings(23 lesions). All patients underwent percutaneous ethanol injection therapy. Lesions were lessthan 3cm in size, and none of the patients had more than three lesions. Injections of absolute ethanol using 22gauge needle were performed l~3 times per week. Sonography (n=7) or two-phase dynamic CT(n=23) was performed forthe follow-up of the tumors l~l2 months afrer the procedure. RESULTS : On Follow-up dynamic CT scans, 15(51.7%) of29 lesions in 23 patients showed no contrast enhancement in the tumor whereas 14(48.3%) lesions showed partialcontrast enhancement. Among l4 lesions with partial contrast enhancement, nine lesions showed decrease in sizewhile five lesions showed increased size. On follow-up sonograms, two of seven lesions showed complete resolutionof the tumor, three lesions showed decrease in size, and two lesions showed increase in size. Overall, 17(47.2%)of 36 lesions showed complete remission, 12 lesions (33.3%) showed partial improvement, and seven lesions (19.5%)showed aggravation of tumors. CONCLUSION : Percutaneous ethanol injection therapy is considered effective and safemethod for the treatment of small hepatocellular carcinoma.