The angiographic characteristics and transcatheter arterial embolization therapy of Kasabach-Merritt syndrome / 中华放射学杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective To analyze the angiographic characteristics of Kasabach-Merritt syndrome (KMS) and study the value of transcatheter arterial embolization (TAE) in KMS therapy. Methods The clinical data of 36 infants with KMS treated between June 2010 and June 2016 in our hospital were reviewed retrospectively. All infants performed angiography and TAE therapy. These angiographic characteristics were analyzed by comparing with infantile hemangioma(IH).The times of TAE and the level of platelet after TAE therapy were observed. Results The angiographic characteristics of KMS were as follows The capillary blush of KMS were ill defined with no-uniform distribution. There were a lot of very fine feeding arteries. The diameter of feeding artery was disproportionate to the volume of tumor blush because the feeding arteries were too small or fine. Normal artery was usually embedded in tumor blush. However, the angiographic characteristics of IH were different as followsthe capillary blush of IH were well defined with uniform distribution.There were about 1-4 feeding arteries.The diameter of feeding artery was proportional to the volume of tumor blush. Normal artery was not embedded in tumor blush. Tumor blush was usually located beside the normal artery. In 36 patients, 107 embolization treatments were performed. The platelet declined for 11 times and increased for 96 times after TAE therapy. The platelet count for these 96 cases increased to ≥100×109/L at(7.1 ± 2.4)days following therapy. However, the platelet level fluctuated thereafter and the average relapse time was(45.9 ± 21.8)days. All cases were followed-up ranging from 6 months to 2 years and finally received other therapies.Eight cases were cured and the other 28 cases were improved. Conclusions The angiographic characteristics of KMS are different from common infantile hemangioma. It is difficult to embolize the feeding arteries of KMS because there are a lot of very fine feeding arteries.TAE may rapidly improve the level of platelets while the long term effect was poor.It might be better to combine TAE with other medical therapies to treat KMS.