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. 2008 Oct;19(10):1490-6.
doi: 10.1016/j.jvir.2008.06.008. Epub 2008 Aug 27.

Distribution of iron oxide-containing Embosphere particles after transcatheter arterial embolization in an animal model of liver cancer: evaluation with MR imaging and implication for therapy

Kwang-Hun Lee  1 , Eleni Liapi, Josephina A Vossen, Manon Buijs, Veronica Prieto Ventura, Christos Georgiades, Kelvin Hong, Ihab Kamel, Michael S Torbenson, Jean-Francois H Geschwind
Affiliations

Distribution of iron oxide-containing Embosphere particles after transcatheter arterial embolization in an animal model of liver cancer: evaluation with MR imaging and implication for therapy

Kwang-Hun Lee et al. J Vasc Interv Radiol. 2008 Oct.

Abstract

Purpose: To test whether different-sized iron oxide-containing Embosphere (IOE) particles can be detected by dedicated magnetic resonance (MR) imaging when injected intraarterially in an animal model of liver cancer and whether their distribution could be accurately predicted by MR imaging before confirmation with histopathologic analysis.

Materials and methods: Twenty New Zealand White rabbits implanted with VX2 liver tumor were randomly assigned to undergo embolization with 100-300-microm particles (group S; n = 10) or 300-500-microm particles (group L; n = 10). Embolization was performed with the catheter placed in the proper hepatic artery. T2*-weighted multiplanar MR imaging was performed within 24 hours after the procedure to detect paramagnetic IOE susceptibility artifact. MR imaging interpretation parameters included presence of artifact in the artery and/or at the tumor bed. Hematoxylin and eosin- and Prussian blue-stained pathologic slides were also obtained and the presence of IOE was evaluated similarly.

Results: The MR detectability rates for IOEs were 100% in both groups. Paramagnetic susceptibility IOE artifact inside the tumor was detected in 30% of group S animals. On pathologic analysis, IOE particles were detected inside the tumor in 70% of this group. IOEs in group L were found outside the tumor within the hepatic artery on MR imaging and histopathologic study (P < .05).

Conclusions: MR imaging readily detected IOE particles in an animal model of liver cancer regardless of the particle size. The smaller particles (100-300 microm) were delivered inside the tumor or in close proximity to the tumor margin, justifying their use for drug delivery or precise embolization.

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Conflict of interest statement

None of the other authors have identified a conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Hepatic artery digital subtraction angiography in a rabbit. (a) Digital subtraction angiographic image of the celiac axis demonstrates typical rabbit hepatic arterial anatomy. The VX2 tumor stain is visible within the left lateral lobe of the liver. (b) On digital subtraction angiographic image at the proper hepatic artery before treatment, note the intense tumor blush within the left lateral lobe of the liver.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Axial T2*-weighted MR image (field of view, 16 × 16; matrix size, 256 × 160; repetition/echo time, 200/15 msec; flip angle, 45°) of the liver after embolization with 100–300-µm IOEs. Note the multiple punctate signal voids inside the tumor (arrowheads) and circumferentially distributed at the rim of the tumor (white arrows), showing the ability of MR imaging to track the distribution of IOEs in tumor bed.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Axial T2*-weighted MR image of the liver after embolization with 300–500-µm IOEs. Less intense and partially distributed signal void at the rim of the tumor (arrowhead) is seen without signal void inside the tumor. Note the intense signal void with blooming artifact (white arrow) caused by the clustered IOEs within the left hepatic artery located at a significant distance from the tumor bed.
Figure 4
Figure 4
MR Imaging and histopathologic correlation in an animal in group S treated with 100–300-µm IOEs. Good deposition of particles in the tumor bed at the intracapsular deposition of periphery of the tumor and inside the tumor. Prussian blue staining demonstrates iron-loaded blue-colored embolic materials.
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