Radiofrequency Ablation of Hepatic Tumor: Subjective Assessment of the Perilesional Vascular Network on Contrast-Enhanced Computed Tomography Before and After Ablation Can Reliably Predict the Risk of Local Recurrence.

OBJECTIVE: To determine whether simple, subjective analysis of the perilesional vascular network can predict the risk of local recurrence after radiofrequency ablation (RFA) of liver malignancies on contrast-enhanced computed tomography (CECT).

METHODS: Contrast-enhanced computed tomography's 103 patients (59 men and 44 women; mean age, 63 years (range, 31-84 years) with 134 lesions who underwent RFA between 2000 and 2010 were retrospectively analyzed. The primary tumors include colorectal carcinoma (58 patients), hepatocellular carcinoma (n = 13), breast carcinoma (n = 8), neuroendocrine tumor (n = 5), and others (n = 19). Three blinded radiologists independently reviewed the CECT (a triple phase liver protocol for hypervascular tumors and a single phase for the hypovascular tumors) before and 6 weeks after RFA and subjectively estimated the width of the ablative margin on a 3-point scale (optimal, 1; suboptimal, 2; and residual tumor, 3). Local recurrence was determined on follow-up CECT.

RESULTS: The consensus score was 1 in 94, 2 in 28, and 3 in 12 lesions. κ among readers was 0.75. Local recurrence occurred in 3 lesions with a score of 1 and 12 lesions with a score of 2. The consensus score was a significant univariate predictor of local recurrence.

CONCLUSIONS: Subjective estimation of the width of ablative margin can reliably predict the risk of local recurrence.