Impact of New Interventional Imaging Modality Use on Patient Radiation Exposure in Transarterial Chemoembolization

Transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) is the most performed endovascular interventional radiology (IR) procedure. TACE procedures are performed in an IR suite, most of which are equipped with floor-based flat-panel robotic C-arm allowing two-dimensional imaging. Cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) has been developed to allow three-dimensional navigation but has several limitations such as reduced signal to noise ratio and small field-of-view, and seems to have negative impact on patient radiation exposure. Another option to perform 3D imaging is called angio-CT which combines a CT-scan and a floor-based flat-panel robotic C-arm in a single IR suite. Even if some publications have shown benefit of angio-CT in TACE procedures in Japan, no study about angio-CT in liver IR procedures has been conducted in the occidental world so far. The purpose of our study was to assess the impact of angio-CT use on patient radiation exposure and treatment quality in TACE procedures compared to CBCT.

This before-after study consisted of a review of consecutive TACE procedures performed between January 2016 and September 2017 in our institution with two different imaging modalities, defining two study groups (C-arm with CBCT versus angio-CT).