Pseudo-occlusion of the hepatic artery during hepatic arterial infusion chemotherapy

Hidekazu Yamaura1, Yoshitaka Inaba, Yozo Sato

  • 1Department of Diagnostic Radiology, National Cancer Center, Tokyo, Japan. h-yamau@aichi-cc.jp

Hepatic arterial occlusion (HAO) is frequently encountered in patients receiving hepatic arterial infusion chemotherapy (HAIC) via an implanted port-catheter system. Usually, HAO precludes continuation of HAIC, and treatment for liver metastases is changed to systemic chemotherapy. However, two cases were encountered in which, even though HAO was diagnosed by arteriography via the port, the hepatic artery was actually patent. These cases illustrate that arteriography via the port is insufficient to confirm HAO.