Brief Article
Copyright ©2011 Baishideng Publishing Group Co., Limited. All rights reserved.
World J Gastroenterol. Apr 14, 2011; 17(14): 1874-1878
Published online Apr 14, 2011. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v17.i14.1874
Acoustic radiation force impulse elastography for hepatocellular carcinoma-associated radiofrequency ablation
Hee-Jin Kwon, Myong-Jin Kang, Jin-Han Cho, Jong-Young Oh, Kyung-Jin Nam, Sang-Yeong Han, Sung Wook Lee
Hee-Jin Kwon, Myong-Jin Kang, Jin-Han Cho, Jong-Young Oh, Kyung-Jin Nam, Department of Radiology, Dong-A University Hospital, Dongdaesindong 3ga, Seo-gu, Pusan 602-715, South Korea
Sang-Yeong Han, Sung Wook Lee, Department of Internal Medicine, Dong-A University Hospital, Dongdaesindong 3ga, Seo-gu, Pusan 602-715, South Korea
Author contributions: Kwon HJ and Kang MJ contributed to the work; Kwon HJ and Cho JH designed the research; Kwon HJ and Cho JH performed the research; Kwon HJ, Cho JH, Oh JY, Nam KJ and Lee SW contributed new reagents/analytic tools; Kwon HJ and Han SY analyzed the data; Kwon HJ wrote the paper.
Supported by Research Funds from Dong-A university
Correspondence to: Myong-Jin Kang, MD, Department of Radiology, Dong-A University Hospital, Dongdaesindong 3ga, Seo-gu, Pusan 602-715, South Korea. risual@dau.ac.kr
Telephone: +82-51-2405367 Fax: +82-51-2534931
Received: September 30, 2010
Revised: February 22, 2011
Accepted: March 1, 2011
Published online: April 14, 2011
Abstract

AIM: To evaluate the potential usefulness of acoustic radiation force impulse (ARFI) images for evaluation of hepatocellular carcinomas (HCC)-associated radiofrequency ablation.

METHODS: From January 2010 to June 2010, a total of 38 patients with HCC including recurred HCCs after RFA underwent ARFI elastography. The brightness of tumor was checked and the shear wave velocity was measured for the quantification of stiffness. According to the brightness, the tumors were classified as brighter, same color and darker compared with adjacent parenchyma. Using the same methods, 8 patients with recurred HCCs after RFA state were evaluated about the brightness compared with adjacent RFA ablation area.

RESULTS: In the 38 patients with HCCs, 20 (52.6%) were brighter than surrounding cirrhotic parenchyma. Another 13 (34.2%) were darker. The others (5 cases, 13.2%) were seen as the same color as the adjacent liver parenchyma. Post-RFA lesions were darker than previous tumor and surrounding parenchyma in all 38 cases. However, recurred HCCs were brighter than the treated site in all 8 cases.

CONCLUSION: Using ARFI technique is helpful for differential diagnosis in order to detect recurred HCCs more easily in patients with confusing status.

Keywords: Hepatocellular carcinoma; Elastography; Radiofrequency ablation