Adapting the Utility of Lipiodol CT in Treating Small Hepatocellular Carcinoma

Multiphase MRI liver is the gold-standard imaging modality for staging hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in patients with cirrhosis. Often, small HCCs diagnosed on multiphase MRI are occult on B-mode ultrasound and multiphase CT (MPCT) and thus pose a challenge for loco-regional therapy. We adapted the technique of lipiodol CT in treating two such patients of small HCC.

Lipiodol-CT involved an intra-arterial lipiodol injection through the hepatic artery followed by a noncontrast CT liver. CT delineated small, hyperdense, lipiodol-laden hepatic nodules, which served as a target for executing ablation of the nodule and also revealed the true disease stage by depicting the additional number of tumors in the liver.

Case one was a 51-year female, known case of chronic hepatitis C who presented with ascites for two months. She was diagnosed with a small HCC (LI-RADS-4) in a cirrhotic liver on multiphase MRI. Percutaneous radiofrequency ablation was planned, but the mass was not located on ultrasound or multiphase CT. Lipiodol-CT was undertaken, which delineated the lipiodol-laden small HCC, which served as a target for executing ablation. Case 2 was a 55-year male, Child-Pugh A cirrhotic, who had undergone right extended hepatectomy for hepatitis B-related HCC. Follow-up MRI revealed a 5 mm segment III nodule, which had increased in size on repeat MRI at 3 months (LI-RADS-4). This nodule, too, was occult on both ultrasound and MPCT. Lipiodol CT revealed additional multiple, variable-sized lipiodol-laden nodules in the liver remnant. Treatment of trans-arterial chemoembolization was performed at one month. Both patients showed complete response to treatment. Conclusion: Lipiodol CT can be safely used in a new role of facilitating treatment of small HCCs diagnosed on MRI but occult on ultrasonography and MPCT.