Radioembolization for Hepatocellular Carcinoma: The Effects of Arterioportal Shunts on Nontargeted Liver Hypertrophy.

PURPOSE

To determine whether arterioportal shunting to the contralateral lobe attenuates liver function and hypertrophy of the nontargeted liver after radioembolization in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The current retrospective study included 46 patients who received radioembolization for HCC contained within the right lobe between 2012 and 2020. The patients were divided into the following groups on the basis of the presence and extent of arterioportal shunting: patients with retrograde arterioportal shunting to the left lobe (contralateral group) and patients with arterioportal shunt limited to the right lobe or no arterioportal shunt (control group). Safety profiles, including adverse events, tumor response, and overall survival, were compared. With the volume of the left lateral segment used as a surrogate marker for nontarget liver, the degree of hypertrophy was compared between the 2 groups at 3 and 6 months.

RESULTS

Liver function significantly deteriorated in the contralateral group in a month (P ≤ .05). Tumor response and overall survival did not significantly differ between the 2 groups. The degree of hypertrophy was significantly higher in the control group than in the contralateral group at 3 months (10.6% vs 3.5%; P = .008) and 6 months (20.7% vs 2.4%; P < .001).

CONCLUSIONS

In patients with arterioportal shunting to the contralateral lobe, hypertrophy of the nontarget liver may not occur and the liver function may be worsened.