Hepatic arterial blood flow in large hepatocellular carcinoma with or without portal vein thrombosis: assessment by transcutaneous duplex Doppler sonography.

BACKGROUND: As liver cirrhosis progresses, the portal venous blood (PVBF) flow decreases, accompanied by an increase in hepatic arterial blood flow. Large hepatocellular carcinoma is a hypervascular tumour with a rapid growth, which seems to require an increase of the tumoral arterial blood flow. Furthermore, hepatocellular carcinoma is frequently associated with portal vein thrombosis, which subsequently impedes portal blood supply.

METHODS: The purpose of our study was to estimate alterations in the hepatic arterial blood flow in large hepatocellular carcinomas occurring in liver cirrhosis, in comparison with liver cirrhosis and controls. Liver blood flow measurements were determined by duplex Doppler sonography in 47 patients with large hepatocellular carcinomas (13 with portal vein thrombosis and 34 without this thrombosis), 42 liver cirrhosis patients and 30 controls. The Doppler perfusion index was calculated as the ratio of hepatic arterial blood flow to total hepatic blood flow.

RESULTS: The patients with liver cirrhosis had a significant increase of hepatic arterial blood flow as compared to controls (P < 0.001), accompanied by a significant reduction in PVBF (P < 0.005). As a result, the Doppler perfusion index was increased in patients with liver cirrhosis as compared to controls (P < 0.001). The hepatic arterial blood flow was increased in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma but without portal vein thrombosis as compared to the cirrhotic patients (P < 0.001), with a significant reduction of PVBF (P < 0.001). Hepatic arterial blood flow was also increased in patients with both hepatocellular carcinoma and portal vein thrombosis as compared to the patients without this thrombosis (P < 0.001).

CONCLUSION: These results suggest that in large hepatocellular carcinomas there is a decreased PVBF, accompanied by an increased hepatic arterial blood flow. The hepatic arterial buffer response seems to be active in hepatocellular carcinomas and maintains liver perfusion to adequate levels.