Hepatic blood volume imaging with the use of flat-detector CT perfusion in the angiography suite: comparison with results of conventional multislice CT perfusion.

PURPOSE

To prospectively determine the feasibility of flat-detector (FD) computed tomography (CT) perfusion to measure hepatic blood volume (BV) in the angiography suite in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Twenty patients with HCC were investigated with conventional multislice and FD CT perfusion. CT perfusion was carried out on a multislice CT scanner, and FD CT perfusion was performed on a C-arm angiographic system, before transarterial chemoembolization procedures. BV values of conventional and FD CT perfusion were measured within tumors and liver parenchyma. The arterial perfusion portion of CT perfusion BV was extracted from CT perfusion BV by multiplying it by a hepatic perfusion index. Relative values (RVs) for CT perfusion arterial BV and FD CT perfusion BV (FD BV) were defined by dividing BV of tumor by BV of parenchyma. Relationships between BV and RV values of these two techniques were analyzed.

RESULTS

In all patients, both perfusion procedures were technically successful, and all 33 HCCs larger than 10 mm were identified with both imaging methods. There were strong correlations between the absolute values of FD BV and CT perfusion arterial BV (tumor, r = 0.903; parenchyma, r = 0.920; both P < .001). Bland-Altman analysis showed a mean difference of -0.15 ± 0.24 between RVs for CT perfusion arterial BV and FD BV.

CONCLUSIONS

The feasibility of FD CT perfusion to assess BV values of liver tumor and surrounding parenchyma in the angiographic suite was demonstrated.