Purpose: To assess the feasibility of portal venous embolization (PVE) with iodized oil in the treatment of human hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), the distribution of iodized oil after PVE and tumor vascularity after hepatic arterial embolization (HAE) with iodized oil was determined in 25 rats with n-nitrosodiethylamine-induced liver cancer.
Materials and methods: Under microscopic guidance, HAE with 1 mL of iodized oil was performed in 10 rats. After HAE, low-kilovoltage radiography in four rats and Microfil perfusion techniques in six were used to investigate the distribution of iodized oil and the portal blood supply, respectively. Low-kilovoltage radiography and histologic examination were performed to observe the distribution of iodized oil in 15 rats after PVE with doses of 0.6 mL/kg in each rat.
Results: After HAE with iodized oil, it was common that tumor nodules smaller than 5 mm in diameter were filled with Microfil perfused through the portal vein. After PVE, tumor nodules (< 5 mm) were completely filled with iodized oil, while filling defects were observed in larger tumor nodules (> 5 mm), which could have been filled through hepatic arterial perfusion.
Conclusion: PVE with iodized oil may have a role in the treatment of hepatic malignant tumors, and it may play an important role in early detection and treatment of small tumor nodules (< 5 mm) supplied mainly by the portal vein.