[Lipiodolized angiography in hepatocellular carcinomas. Contribution of iodine-131-labelled lipiodol].

Twelve patients with hepatocellular carcinoma and cirrhosis were investigated by Lipiodol injection into the hepatic artery. A CT scan was done 4-6 days later. Lipiodol was retained by hepatic tumors in each case. This method emphasized the extension of the carcinoma and allowed to discover daughter tumors. I131-lipiodol was also injected in 4 of the 12 patients and then its biodistribution was evaluated. At the 6th hour after injection, I131-lipiodol was detected by scintigraphy over the liver (74-91 percent) and over the lungs (9-16 percent) only. The tumor to normal liver pixel count ratio was about 5. These results indicate that there is a preferential arterial blood flow towards the hepatic tumors, and that we can consider a therapeutic use of I131-Lipiodol in hepatocellular-carcinoma.