MRI-monitored intra-shunt local agent delivery of motexafin gadolinium: towards improving long-term patency of TIPS.

BACKGROUND: Transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt (TIPS) has become an important and effective interventional procedure in treatment of the complications related to portal hypertension. Although the primary patency of TIPS has been greatly improved due to the clinical application of cover stent-grafts, the long-term patency is still suboptimal. This study was to investigate the feasibility of using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)-monitored intra-shunt local agent delivery of motexafin gadolinium (MGd) into shunt-vein walls of TIPS. This new technique aimed to ultimately inhibit shuntstenosis of TIPS. METHODOLOGY: Human umbilical vein smooth muscle cells (SMCs) were incubated with various concentrations of MGd, and then examed by confocal microscopy and T1-map MRI. In addition, the proliferation of MGd-treated cells was evaluated. For in vivo validation, seventeen pigs underwent TIPS. Before placement of the stent, an MGd/trypan-blue mixture was locally delivered, via a microporous balloon, into eleven shunt-hepatic vein walls under dynamic MRI monitoring, while trypan-blue only was locally delivered into six shunt-hepatic vein walls as serve as controls. T1-weighted MRI of the shunt-vein walls was achieved before- and at different time points after agent injections. Contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR) of the shunt-vein wall at each time-point was measured. Shunts were harvested for subsequent histology confirmation. PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: In vitro studies confirmed the capability of SMCs in uptaking MGds in a concentration-dependent fashion, and demonstrated the suppression of cell proliferation by MGds as well. Dynamic MRI displayed MGd/blue penetration into the shunt-vein walls, showing significantly higher CNR of shunt-vein walls on post-delivery images than on pre-delivery images (49.5±9.4 vs 11.2±1.6, P<0.01), which was confirmed by histology. CONCLUSION: Results of this study indicate that MRI-monitored intra-shunt local MGd delivery is feasible and MGd functions as a potential therapeutic agent to inhibit the proliferation of SMCs, which may open alternative avenues to improve the long-term patency of TIPS.

Computed tomography fluoroscopy-guided percutaneous 125I seed implantation for safe, effective and real-time monitoring radiotherapy of inoperable stage T1-3N0M0 non-small-cell lung cancer.

The management of inoperable lung cancer remains a challenge. It has been proven that computed tomography (CT)-guided iodine-125 (125I) seed implantation is a safe and efficient method for treating lung cancer. Computed tomographic fluoroscopy (CTF) is superior to traditional CT for percutaneous management of lung lesions, due to the real-time guidance and accurate localization of the lesions. The aim of the present prospective study was to evaluate the feasibility, safety and efficacy of CTF-guided percutaneous permanent implantation of 125I seeds for the treatment of selected patients with inoperable stage T1-3N0M0 non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). A total of 24 patients with resectable but inoperable stage T1-3N0 NSCLC, with a total of 28 lesions, underwent CTF-guided percutaneous implantation of radioactive 125I seeds. A prescription dose of 100-120 Gy was delivered to each lesion. The complications and local tumor control rates were documented. Survival was estimated using the Kaplan-Meier method. All the patients successfully completed the procedure, with a mean procedure duration of 45.7 min (range, 30-75 min). No severe complications occurred. Small asymptomatic pneumothorax with lung volume compression of <10% and minor hemorrhage along the needle track without hemoptysis occurred immediately after the procedure in 3 (12.5%) and 4 (16.7%) of the 24 patients, respectively. At a median follow-up of 31.5 months (range, 8-46 months), the local control rate (LCR) of the lesions was 78.6% (22/28). The 1-, 2- and 3-year overall survival rate was 95.8, 78 and 55%, respectively. In conclusion, CTF is the favourable imaging guidance method for the percutaneous implantation of 125I seeds. CTF-guided brachytherapy with implantation of 125I seeds is a safe, feasible and effective modality for the treatment of inoperable early-stage NSCLC and may be considered an alternative option in selected patients with medically inoperable NSCLC.