Objective: To evaluate the hemodynamic changes of hepatic artery (HA), portal vein (PV) and tumors in hepatic cancer patients treated by cluster electrode radio-frequency ablation with the aid of color Doppler flow imaging (CDFI).
Methods: The hemodynamic changes of HA, PV and 42 tumors in 30 cases of hepatic cancer were investigated by CDFI one week before and after cluster electrode radio-frequency ablation.
Results: One week after radio-frequency ablation, the velocity of HA decreased (P<0.05), but the diameter and velocity of PV unchanged. Before radio-frequency ablation, blood signals were observed in 35 cancer nodes (83.0% of all 42 nodes). After radio-frequency ablation, blood signals were reduced in 15 nodes and disappeared in 14 nodes. Early investigation implied that the decrease of blood supply was parallel with the reduction of node size. However, the outcome in case of huge nodes with double blood supply was not as promising as those small nodes.
Conclusion: CDFI is useful to assess blood supply in ablation of hepatic cancer by using cluster electrode radio-frequency therapy.