Ablative zone size created by radiofrequency ablation with and without chemoembolization in small hepatocellular carcinomas

We retrospectively evaluated whether combined use of chemoembolization expands ablative zone sizes created by radiofrequency (RF) ablation in patients with small hepatocellular carcinomas (HCCs). Fifty-seven patients treated with single RF ablation for solitary HCC measuring a parts per thousand currency sign2 cm were assessed. RF ablation alone was done in nine patients and in 48 patients following chemoembolization, with an interval of 0 days in 6, 1-14 days in 27, 15-28 days in 6, and a parts per thousand yen4 weeks in 9. Ablative zone sizes, disappearance of tumor enhancement, and creation of sufficient ablative margins (> 5 mm) were evaluated on contrast-enhanced computed tomography (CT) images. Both mean long-axis (4.2-4.7 vs. 3.6 +/- A 0.4 cm, p < 0.04) and short-axis (3.3-3.8 vs. 2.3 +/- A 0.5 cm, p < 0.03) diameters were expanded significantly when RF ablation was done until 4 weeks after chemoembolization than with RF ablation alone. Tumor enhancement disappeared in all patients. Frequency of achieving sufficient ablative margins was significantly higher when RF ablation was done until 4 weeks after chemoembolization than with RF ablation alone (74.0-83.3 vs. 22.2 %, p < 0.05). Ablative zones created by RF ablation with chemoembolization become larger than RF ablation alone, leading to secure ablative margins.