This study was to retrospectively compare the effectiveness of transarterial embolization (TAE) using a lipidol emulsion for large lesion of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). average survival time was retrospectively compared in patients with HCC larger then 3 cm in diameter. Twenty patients were treated with conventional transarterial embolization (TAE)(group A), 27 with transarterial embolization using a lipidol emulsion (TAE-L) (group B). Rates of effectiveness at 3 months and 6 months following treatment were 10.0% and 5.0% in group A and 37.0 and 33.3% in group B respectively (P=0.046, 0.029). The median survival times were 12.0 months in Group A and 23.0 months in Group B (P=0.049).