This study evaluated the usefulness of cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) during ultraselective transcatheter arterial chemoembolization (TACE) for hepatocellular carcinomas (HCC) that could not be demonstrated on angiography. Twenty-eight patients with 33 angiographically occult tumors (mean diameter 1.3 +/- 0.3 cm) were enrolled in the study. The ability of CBCT during arterial portography (CBCTAP), during hepatic arteriography (CBCTHA), and after iodized oil injection (LipCBCT) to detect HCC lesions was retrospectively analyzed. The technical success of TACE was divided into three grades: complete (the embolized area included the entire tumor with at least a 5-mm wide margin), adequate (the embolized area included the entire tumor but without a 5-mm wide margin in parts), and incomplete (the embolized area did not include the entire tumor) according to computed axial tomographic (CAT) images obtained 1 week after TACE. Local tumor progression was also evaluated. CBCTAP, CBCTHA, and LipCBCT detected HCC lesions in 93.9% (31 of 33), 96.7% (29 of 30), and 100% (29 of 29) of patients, respectively. A single branch was embolized in 28 tumors, and 2 branches were embolized in five tumors. Twenty-seven tumors (81.8%) were classed as complete, and 6 (18.2%) were classed as adequate. None of the tumors were classed as incomplete. Twenty-five tumors (75.8%) had not recurred during 12.0 +/- 6.2 months. Eight tumors (24.2%), 5 (18.5%) of 27 complete success and 3 (50%) of 6 adequate success, recurred during 10.1 +/- 6.2 months. CBCT during TACE is useful in detecting and treating small HCC lesions that cannot not be demonstrated on angiography.

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Allergic rhinitis is an IgE mediated atopic disease characterized by elevated levels of allergen specific IgE antibodies that play a central role in mediating allergic reactions. Interleukin 13 (IL-13) is a novel T-cell-derived cytokine that shares several functional properties with IL-4 and has been demonstrated to be capable of inducing IgE synthesis. The present study was designed to investigate the expression of IL-13 gene in the epithelial compartment of the nasal mucosa of patients with perennial allergic rhinitis (PAR) to house dust mite, comparing it with that in the nasal epithelial compartment of chronic infectious rhinitis (CIR) patients and normal volunteers (NV). We also investigated the IL-13 gene expression in the peripheral blood of PAR patients. Nasal scrapings were collected from the inferior turbinate of patients undergoing conchotomy surgery and from outpatients, and the mRNA expression of IL-13 was analyzed by the RT-PCR method. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells were isolated by density-gradient centrifugation and the expression of IL-13 gene was examined by the RT-PCR method. IL-13 expression at protein level and its cell source were analyzed by immunohistochemistry of inferior turbinate biopsies. The levels of total serum IgE and allergen-specific IgE antibodies in the serum were estimated by the PRIST and CAP RAST method, respectively. IL-13 gene expression was detected in the epithelial compartment of the nasal mucosa of 18/19 PAR patients but was undetected in normal volunteers and CIR patients.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

precisely determined thus far, whereas the worldwide prevalence of EPP has been reported to be 1:75,000-1:200,000 (Todd, 1994). Thus, a nationwide survey and genotyping of the large number of Japanese EPP families is recommended and would be required to elucidate the virtual penetrance and prevalence of EPP in Japan.

Ultraselective TACE induces not only complete tumor necrosis but also peritumoral parenchymal necrosis, similar to that after radiofrequency ablation, when the portal veins are markedly visualized during the TACE procedure.