Blood oxygen level–dependent functional magnetic resonance imaging can evaluate the efficiency of transcatheter arterial chemoembolization in hepatocellular carcinoma

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is among the most common malignant tumors worldwide, and transcatheter arterial chemoembolization (TACE) technology has become the first-line treatment for advanced HCC. Another important, recently developed technique is blood oxygen level–dependent functional magnetic resonance imaging (BOLD-fMRI), which utilizes hemoglobin as an endogenous contrast agent and measures deoxygenated hemoglobin content by sampling the oxygen content of tissues, thus reflecting the hemodynamics and pathophysiologic changes in body organs. Currently this technology is being used in patients with liver tumors; that is, it serves as an important tool in follow-up after TACE. The present paper summarizes these developments.