Diffusion weighted imaging and Dynamic MRI in assessment of hepatocellular carcinoma after TransArterial Chemoembolization (TACE)

Background: Hepatocellular carcinoma one of the most common cancer and horrible leading cause of cancer-related mortality in the world. Trans-arterial chemoembolization is the first line of treatment for Hepatocellular carcinoma patients. The aim of the current study was to evaluate diffusion weighted imaging & dynamic contrast enhanced MRI in assessment of HCC cases following TACE regarding their accuracy in detecting Tumoral viability. Results: the current study included 50 cases of Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) lesions underwent trans-arterial chemo-embolization procedure. Follow up Dynamic contrast enhanced MRI study and diffusion WIs were obtained after 1.5 months. Dynamic MRI had a sensitivity of 90.5%, a specificity of 96.6%, a positive predictive value of 95 %, a negative Predictive value of 93.3% and overall agreement of 94%. Compared to MRI diffusion Sensitivity of = 95.83 %, specificity = 69.6%, PPV = 74.5% and the NPV = 40.3%. There was a significant agreement 82% between the tumor activity by the dynamic MRI study and MRI diffusion. Conclusion: We believe that the addition of Diffusion to the dynamic study would be useful for post TACE evaluation of HCC.