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Radiologic findings following Y90 radioembolization for primary liver malignancies

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Abstract

A therapy gaining rapid clinical adoption involves radioembolization with the use of Yttrium-90 (90Y) microspheres. The 20–60 μm-sized microspheres are injected trans-arterially and flow to hepatic tumors given their preferential blood supply from the hepatic artery. Once they lodge in the arterioles, they impart a very intense local radiotherapeutic effect. Given the combined radiation and embolic effect, the imaging findings imparted by this mode of action differ significantly from other treatments. This work represents a comprehensive review of the imaging findings following radioembolization in patients with primary liver tumors. The report discusses imaging response, benign secondary effects, and complications. This should help educate the radiologist on imaging findings that should be expected following radioembolization and therefore aid in the proper image interpretation.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Section of Interventional Radiology, Department of Radiology, Northwestern Memorial Hospital, Robert H. Lurie Comprehensive Cancer Center, Chicago, IL, USA

    Saad M. Ibrahim, Robert J. Lewandowski, Robert K. Ryu, Kent T. Sato, Sean Senthilnathan, Ahsun Riaz, Reed A. Omary & Riad Salem

  2. Section of Body Imaging, Department of Radiology, Northwestern Memorial Hospital, Chicago, IL, USA

    Paul Nikolaidis & Frank H. Miller

  3. Division of Hepatology, Department of Medicine, Robert H. Lurie Comprehensive Cancer Center, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, USA

    Laura Kulik

  4. Division of Hematology and Oncology, Department of Medicine, Robert H. Lurie Comprehensive Cancer Center, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, USA

    Mary F. Mulcahy & Riad Salem

Authors
  1. Saad M. Ibrahim
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  2. Paul Nikolaidis
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  3. Frank H. Miller
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  4. Robert J. Lewandowski
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  5. Robert K. Ryu
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  6. Kent T. Sato
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  7. Sean Senthilnathan
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  8. Ahsun Riaz
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  9. Laura Kulik
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  10. Mary F. Mulcahy
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  11. Reed A. Omary
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  12. Riad Salem
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Correspondence to Riad Salem.

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Ibrahim, S.M., Nikolaidis, P., Miller, F.H. et al. Radiologic findings following Y90 radioembolization for primary liver malignancies. Abdom Imaging 34, 566–581 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00261-008-9454-y

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