Color angiosonography in evaluating the treatment effects of percutaneous ethanol injection therapy (PEIT) in small HCC - report of two cases

Color Doppler sonography has been reported to be effective in the evaluation of PEIT effect in small HCC. However, color angiosonography, which was more sensitive in the detection of slow blood flow, was not used in the evaluation of the treatment effects of PEIT. Two cases of small HCC, 1.8 cm and 2.2 cm in diameter respectively, were admitted for PEIT in our hospital. Color angiosonography and color Doppler sonography (3.5 MHz convex probe, Diasonica Synergy) were applied for detecting intra-tumoral vessels under optimal machine condition before and 6 months after PEIT. A total of 6 cc PEIT in one session and 6.5 cc in 2 sessions were used for treatment of HCC lesions. Both 2 lesions had intratumoral pulsatile flow wave detected by color angiosonography and color Doppler sonography. After PEIT, the intratumoral vessels were not detected by either mode. Comparing both modes of sonography, color angio-sonography was easier and more sensitive in the detection of intratumoral blood flow. Color angiosonography is as good as or even better than conventional color sonography in the evaluation of treatment effects of PEIT in small HCC.