Baseline parenchymal blood volume is a potential prognostic imaging biomarker in patients with malignant liver tumors treated with transarterial chemoembolization.
Thomas J VoglEileen Isabell EmrichTatjana GruberJörg TrojanSimon BernatzPublished in: Abdominal radiology (New York) (2024)
Our study reveals a noteworthy correlation between high initial PBV values and a significant reduction in both relative and absolute tumor volume. This association suggests a potential prognostic indicator, indicating that elevated PBV may signify a more favorable response to transarterial chemoembolization (TACE). Additionally, patients with high initial PBV values experienced an extended overall survival time. Notably, the subgroup analysis highlighted a prolonged survival time in the HCC group with elevated initial PBV values. These findings underscore the potential significance of assessing PBV as a predictive factor in the context of TACE, especially in specific tumor entities such as HCC. Further investigations are essential to validate and extrapolate these observations to optimize patient outcomes.