Abstract

IntroductionThe aim of this study was to analyze the correlation between 18-FDG positron emission tomography (PET)/computed tomography (CT), histological necrosis, and prognosis after transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients undergoing orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT). PatientsFrom January 2007 through December 2013, 81 patients with HCC and liver cirrhosis were included in our liver transplantation program. For this study we selected patients who underwent 18-FDG PET/CT pre-TACE and post-TACE. All patients underwent liver transplantation within 8 weeks after PET/CT. ResultsTwenty patients with a median age of 58 years (range, 46–69 years) underwent an 18-FDG PET/CT before and after TACE. The median Standardized Uptake Value (SUV) before TACE was 3.8 (range, 2.6–8.7), with a median post-TACE SUV of 0% (range, 0–4). Among patients whose post-TACE SUV decreased to <3, >70% necrosis was observed upon study of a hepatectomy sample, with a survival rate of 100% and 80% at 1 and 3 years, respectively. ConclusionIn conclusion, performance of an 18-FDG PET/CT before and after TACE with comparison of SUV values among patients with HCC awaiting OLT provided valuable information regarding the effectiveness of TACE.

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