3-Dimensional Images Processed by Multislice CT was Efficacious to Determine the Suitable Hepatectomy for a Case of Liver Metastasis of Colon Cancer

Masaru Murata, Shigeyuki Yoshida^*, Misako Yamagata^*, Hideo Tateishi, Masaaki Motoori, Kunitaka Shibata and Tetsuro Kobayashi

Department of Surgery and Radiology^*, Ikeda Municipal Hospital

We report a case of liver metastasis of colon cancer, in which 3-dimensional images processed by multislice computed tomography (CT) were efficacious in determining suitable hepatectomy. A 63-year-old man referred for evaluation of a liver tumor appearing during follow-up of an initial operation elsewhere for descending colon cancer was found in axial CT images of the liver to have a tumor at the S3 segment of the liver developing to the S4 segment and requiring left lobectomy. Hepatic CT arteriography showed that the left hepatic artery branched from the left gastric artery, which seemed to feed the tumor. Portal CT venography showed that the P3 branch of the portal vein was intact. These results indicated S3 partial hepatectomy preserving the P3 main branch of the portal vein after dissection of the left hepatic artery. Multislice CT scanners are non-invasive and provide large amounts of information and have been introduced into clinical practice. Their usefulness in hepatic surgery is not well demonstrated, although in our case, multislice CT was efficacious in determining suitable hepatectomy for the liver tumor.

Key words
multislice CT, 3-D image, hepatectomy

Reprint requests
Masaru Murata Department of Surgical Oncology, Nara Hospital, Kinki University School of Medicine 1248-1 Otoda-cho, Ikoma, 630-0293 JAPAN

Accepted
July 24, 2002

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