Utility of interventional-CT (IVR-CT) in transcatheter arterial chemoembolization (TACE) for hepatocellular carcinoma: a comparative study of TACE with and without IVR-CT

Abstract

Utility of interventional-CT (IVR-CT) is expected for both diagnosis and treatment assistance, but few reports have demonstrated its benefit to date. To investigate the utility of IVR-CT, we here retrospectively compared the outcomes of transcatheter arterial chemoembolization (TACE) with and without IVR-CT performed by the same operator in the same institute during the same period. As a result, recurrence-free survival periods were 301 days and 243 days by TACE with and without IVR-CT, however, there is no significant difference, respectively. In particular, in cases with four or more nodules, the recurrence-free survival period was significantly longer by TACE with IVR-CT. Therefore, IVR-CT is thought to be an effective modality for improving treatment outcomes.