Blood oxygen level-dependent functional magnetic resonance imaging can evaluate the efficiency of transcatheter arterial chemoembolization in hepatocellular carcinoma

Lizhi Xiao; Enhua Xiao

doi:10.1016/j.jimed.2019.05.002

Blood oxygen level-dependent functional magnetic resonance imaging can evaluate the efficiency of transcatheter arterial chemoembolization in hepatocellular carcinoma

J Interv Med. 2019 Jun 27;2(1):5-7. doi: 10.1016/j.jimed.2019.05.002. eCollection 2019 Feb.

Authors

Lizhi Xiao¹, Enhua Xiao²

Affiliations

¹ The Center of PET-CT, The Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Changsha, 410011, Hunan, China.
² Department of Radiology, The Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Changsha, 410011, China.

Abstract

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is among the most common malignant tumors worldwide, and transcatheter arterial chemoembolization (TACE) technology has become the first-line treatment for advanced HCC. Another important, recently developed technique is blood oxygen level-dependent functional magnetic resonance imaging (BOLD-fMRI), which utilizes hemoglobin as an endogenous contrast agent and measures deoxygenated hemoglobin content by sampling the oxygen content of tissues, thus reflecting the hemodynamics and pathophysiologic changes in body organs. Currently this technology is being used in patients with liver tumors; that is, it serves as an important tool in follow-up after TACE. The present paper summarizes these developments.

Keywords: Blood oxygen level–dependent; Efficiency; Hepatocellular carcinoma; Magnetic resonance imaging; Transcatheter arterial chemoembolization.