Gut Liver.  2012 Jul;6(3):362-367.

Comparative Study of Shear Wave Velocities Using Acoustic Radiation Force Impulse Technology in Hepatocellular Carcinoma: The Extent of Radiofrequency Ablation

• Kang J
• Kwon H
• Cho J
• Oh J
• Nam K
• Yoon S
• Kang M
• Lee S
• Han S

Abstract

BACKGROUND/AIMS
The purpose of this study was to assess the value of acoustic radiation force impulse (ARFI) for predicting the extent of radiofrequency ablation (RFA) in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) by correlating the elasticity of HCC and peritumoral parenchyma (as measured by ARFI) with the extent of ablation determined by computed tomography (CT).
METHODS
From September 2009 to June 2011, 158 patients underwent RFA ablation for HCC (single, < or =3 cm). We evaluated the data of a total of 38 prospectively enrolled patients who underwent both ARFI imaging and contrast-enhanced CT after one session of 12 minutes of RFA without a change in needle position. The ARFI imaging indices, including the mean shear wave velocity (SWV) of HCC, mean SWV of the peritumoral parenchyma and tumor size, were evaluated to determine the statistical correlation with RFA extent after one session of 12 minutes of RFA.
RESULTS
A stiffer liver parenchyma in patients with cirrhosis results in a smaller ablation zone.
CONCLUSIONS
SWV of ARFI in liver parenchyma was well correlated with RFA extent. After evaluating the correlation between ARFI and RFA extent, we suggest that the SWV in liver parenchyma might be a non-invasive supplementary tool for predicting the extent of RFA.

Keyword

Elasticity imaging techniques; Hepatocellular carcinoma; Radiofrequency ablation

MeSH Terms

Acoustics
Carcinoma, Hepatocellular
Elasticity
Elasticity Imaging Techniques
Fibrosis
Humans
Liver
Needles
Prospective Studies