Hideaki Kakizawa

Radiofrequency Ablation Therapy Combined with Cementoplasty for Painful Bone Metastases: Initial Experience

The purpose of this study was to assess the efficacy and safety of percutaneous radiofrequency (RF) ablation therapy combined with cementoplasty under computed tomography and fluoroscopic guidance for painful bone metastases. Seventeen adult patients with 23 painful bone metastases underwent RF ablation therapy combined with cementoplasty during a 2-year period. The mean tumor size was 52 × 40 × 59 mm. Initial pain relief, reduction of analgesics, duration of pain relief, recurrence rate of pain, survival rate, and complications were analyzed. The technical success rate was 100%. Initial pain relief was achieved in 100% of patients (n = 17). The mean VAS scores dropped from 63 to 24 (p < 0.001) (n = 8). Analgesic reduction was achieved in 41% (7 out of 17 patients). The mean duration of pain relief was 7.3 months (median: 6 months). Pain recurred in three patients (17.6%) from 2 weeks to 3 months. Eight patients died and 8 patients are still alive (a patient was lost to follow-up). The one-year survival rate was 40% (observation period: 1–30 months). No major complications occurred, but one patient treated with this combined therapy broke his right femur 2 days later. There was transient local pain in most cases, and a hematoma in the psoas muscle (n = 1) and a hematoma at the puncture site (n = 1) occurred as minor complications. Percutaneous RF ablation therapy combined with cementoplasty for painful bone metastases is effective and safe, in particular, for bulky tumors extending to extraosseous regions. A comparison with cementoplasty or RF ablation alone and their long-term efficacies is needed.

Stereotactic body radiation therapy combined with transcatheter arterial chemoembolization for small hepatocellular carcinoma

To compare the tumor control and safety of stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) combined with transcatheter arterial chemoembolization (TACE) for small, solitary, and hypervascular hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) with TACE alone.

Stereotactic body radiotherapy for patients with small hepatocellular carcinoma ineligible for resection or ablation therapies

To evaluate the efficacy and safety of stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT) in patients with small hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) who were ineligible for resection or ablation therapies.

Hepatic arterial infusion chemotherapy for advanced hepatocellular carcinoma according to Child-Pugh classification.

We compared the treatment response, survival, and safety to hepatic arterial infusion chemotherapy (HAIC) in patients with advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) according to Child–Pugh (CP) score.

Detectability of hepatocellular carcinoma by gadoxetate disodium-enhanced hepatic MRI: tumor-by-tumor analysis in explant livers.

To investigate the detectability of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) on Gd‐EOB‐enhanced MR images (Gd‐EOB‐MRI), we performed tumor‐by‐tumor analysis of pathologically confirmed tumors using explants from cirrhotic patients who had undergone liver transplantation.

The impact of motion artifacts on the reproducibility of repeated coronary artery calcium measurements

The purpose of this study is, using a 16-section multidetector-row helical computed tomography (MDCT) scanner with retrospective reconstruction, to compare variability in repeated coronary calcium scoring and qualitative scores of the motion artifacts. One hundred forty-four patients underwent two subsequent scans using MDCT. According to Agatston and volume algorithms, the coronary calcium scores during mid-diastole (the center corresponding to 70% of the R-R cycle) were calculated and the inter-scan variability was obtained. Motion artifacts from coronary artery calcium were subjectively evaluated and classified using a 5-point scale: 1, excellent; no motion artifacts; 2, fine, minor motion artifacts; 3, moderate, mild motion artifacts; 4, bad, severe motion artifacts; 5, poor, doubling or discontinuity. Each reading was done by vessels (left main, left descending, left circumflex and right coronary arteries) and the motion artifact score (mean of the scales) was determined per patient. The variability in the low (1.2±0.2) and high (2.4±0.6) motion artifact score groups was 7±6 (median, 6)% and 19±15 (16)% on the Agatston score (P<0.01) and 7±7 (6)% and 16±13 (14)% on the volume score (P<0.01), respectively. In conclusion, motion has a significant impact on the reproducibility of coronary calcium scoring.

Intra-arterial 5-fluorouracil/interferon combination therapy for hepatocellular carcinoma with portal vein tumor thrombosis and extrahepatic metastases.

Background and Aims:  We investigated the efficacy of intra‐arterial 5‐fluorouracil (5‐FU) and systemic interferon (IFN)‐α (5‐FU‐IFN) in the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) with portal vein tumor thrombosis in the first branch or trunk (Vp3/4) and extrahepatic metastases.

Preoperative Portal Vein Embolization with a Mixture of Gelatin Sponge and Iodized Oil: Efficacy and Safety

Purpose: To evaluate whether portal vein embolization (PVE) using a mixture of gelatin sponge (GS) pieces and iodized oil is safe and effective in inducing hypertrophy of the future liver remnants (FLR). Material and Methods: PVE was performed in 14 patients (eight male and six female, mean age 65 years, range 35–81 years) diagnosed with malignant liver tumor before surgery, whose FLR volumes were judged too small to allow for safe resection. Liver volume change, biochemical data change, complications related to PVE, and postoperative complications were retrospectively evaluated. Results: PVE was successful in all patients, and there were no procedural complications. Absolute FLR volume and FLR/total liver volume (TLV) ratio increased by 102 cm3 and 8% (mean values), respectively. Planned hepatectomies were cancelled in three patients due to extrahepatic metastasis or bile duct infection. Five of the 11 patients (45%) who underwent hepatectomies had major postoperative complications. However, complications due to hepatic failure were not seen. In 10 patients, except one whose outcome was fatal outcome, the mean hospitalization days with and without major complications were 73 and 33 days, respectively. Conclusion: PVE using a mixture of GS and iodized oil seems to be effective and safe in inducing hypertrophy of the FLR.

Hepatic arterial infusion chemotherapy using 5-fluorouracil and systemic interferon-α for advanced hepatocellular carcinoma in combination with or without three-dimensional conformal radiotherapy to venous tumor thrombosis in hepatic vein or inferior vena cava

Aim:  We investigated the efficacy of hepatic arterial infusion chemotherapy (HAIC) using 5‐fluorouracil (5‐FU) and systemic interferon (IFN)‐α (HAIC‐5‐FU/IFN) for advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) with venous tumor thrombosis (VTT) in the hepatic vein trunk (Vv2) or inferior vena cava (Vv3).

Traumatic mesenteric bleeding managed solely with transcatheter embolization

We report a rare case of mesenteric bleeding following blunt abdominal trauma successfully treated solely with transcatheter arterial embolization (TAE) of the right colic marginal artery. A 56-year-old woman presented with mesenteric bleeding after being involved in a car accident. Computed tomography (CT) showed a large mesenteric hematoma and hemoperitoneum with no associated major injuries to other organs. There was a pseudoaneurysm with extravasation inside the hematoma. TAE was attempted to control bleeding during the preparation for surgical laparotomy. A superior mesenteric angiogram revealed a right colic marginal artery pseudoaneurysm. After successful TAE with microcoils, the affected colon perfusion was preserved via collateral circulation from the ileocolic artery. No ischemic gastrointestinal complications have occurred, and laparotomy has not been necessary during the 6 months after TAE. In isolated mesenteric injury cases, TAE may be a reasonable alternative to emergency laparotomy.