Purpose/Objective(s): Irradiation of liver can cause time-dependent CT imaging changes. However, it is challenging to predict which patients will show the changes after radiotherapy or not. We compared patient characteristics to find predictable factors associated with radiotherapy induced multiphase liver CT density changes in the liver.Materials/Methods: We have retrospectively reviewed the medical records of total 154 patients who were treated with radiotherapy for the malignancy of hepatobiliary area or pancreas. Total radiotherapy dose to the liver was the range of 30-54 Gy using 1.8-3.0 Gy fraction with or without combined chemotherapy. Follow-up multiphase CT scans were serially performed after median 3 months after RT. Radiographic findings were thoroughly evaluated and then compared with radiotherapy plan data. Statistical analyses were performed to find any significant correlations between radiographic change and the patient characteristics.Results: Overall 67/154 patients showed significant radiographic changes (i.e., newly visible hypodense areas in the liver) in the multiphase liver CT scan during the follow-up periods. Liver cirrhosis, portal vein thrombosis, primary tumor site, and the use of chemotherapy appeared to be correlated with the radiographic changes (p<0.05). From the subgroup analyses, liver cirrhosis was appeared to be a major confounding factor.Conclusions: Density changes in multiphase liver CT images after liver radiotherapy can be occurred more frequently when the patient has liver cirrhosis. However, their clinical nature and the relevant pathophysiology have yet to be determined from further clinical research.
Nam, J,
Temporal Radiographic Density Change in Multiphase Liver CT after Radiotherapy for Hepatobiliary Malignancy: Is It Predictable?. Radiological Society of North America 2014 Scientific Assembly and Annual Meeting, - ,Chicago IL.
http://archive.rsna.org/2014/14042611.html
