Kinetic Changes in Liver Parenchyma After Preoperative Chemotherapy for Patients with Colorectal Liver Metastases

Background Total liver volume (TLV) empirically changes after aggressive preoperative chemotherapy for colorectal liver metastases (CLM). However, the actual degree of changes in normal liver parenchyma and its clinical relevance remain unclear. Methods Morphometric data of 110 patients who underwent initial hepatectomy after preoperative chemotherapy were reviewed. TLVs before and after chemotherapy were measured using a computer-based volumetry software and their relevance to clinical factors was investigated. Results More than 10% of decrease in TLV was observed in 42 (38.2%) patients, and more than 10% of increase was observed in 11 (10.0%) patients. Change in TLV was within 10% in the remaining 57 (51.8%) patients. Indocyanine green retention rate at 15 min (ICG-R15) value was significantly higher in patients with TLV decrease more than 10% (13.4 vs. 9.3 vs. 8.5%; p = 0.004). Steatosis in the underlying liver was significantly frequent in patients with TLV increase more than 10% ( p 15% (odds ratio 8.8; p = 0.0001). Tendency of correlation was confirmed in the kinetic changes in TLV and ICG-R15 during chemotherapy even though there was no statistical significance ( r = −0.33, p = 0.080). Conclusion Perichemotherapy kinetic changes in TLV may predict histopathologic changes or changes in hepatic functional reserve in the underlying liver. More than 10% of shrinkage in TLV is associated with impaired hepatic functional reserve, and it can be a new supplemental finding in the prediction of surgical risk of major hepatectomy for CLM.