fig4

Multidisciplinary assessment of tumor response after internal and external radiation therapy for hepatocellular carcinoma

Figure 4. A 54-year-old female with hepatitis C cirrhosis presenting with an LR 5 observation in segment 2 of the liver on arterial phase contrast-enhanced CT (A). After a multidisciplinary discussion, the patient was treated with TACE. CT performed 1 month post TACE shows partial necrosis of the tumor with residual mass-like nodular enhancement along the margin of the lesion, LR-TR Viable (B). The patient was again presented at a multidisciplinary liver tumor board, and the decision was made for SBRT. Arterial phase MRI 3 months post SBRT reveals a decrease in the size of the targeted lesion with residual linear areas of intralesional enhancement, LR-TR Nonprogressing (C). Note that since SBRT was performed after TACE, the post-treatment imaging findings after radiation should dominate treatment response assessment. Therefore, the presence of mass-like intralesional enhancement, although a small septation, with decreasing size, is considered LR-TR Nonprogressing. Arterial phase MRI 6 months post SBRT shows an increasing area of intralesional enhancement (D). Because this was not mass-like or nodular, the reader believed it was "Equivocal"; however, since Equivocal is no longer terminology for radiation-treated HCC, LR-TR Nonprogressing category should be given instead. Arterial phase MRI performed 12 months post SBRT (E) demonstrates increasing size of mass-like enhancement along the margin of the treated lesion, LR-TR Viable. The patient was presented at a multidisciplinary liver tumor board again, with the decision for repeat SBRT. Arterial phase CT 3-, 6-, and 12 months (F, G, and H, receptively) post repeat SBRT demonstrates no intralesional enhancement, LR-TR Nonviable. Note the surrounding parenchymal enhancement from the nontarget effects of radiation. Over time, there is progressive atrophy of the left lobe of the liver secondary to radiation fibrosis.

Hepatoma Research
ISSN 2454-2520 (Online) 2394-5079 (Print)

Portico

All published articles are preserved here permanently:

https://www.portico.org/publishers/oae/

Portico

All published articles are preserved here permanently:

https://www.portico.org/publishers/oae/