Contrast-enhanced ultrasound features predict the prognosis of percutaneous microwave ablation of intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma.

Objective: To evaluate the prognostic effect of pre-operative contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) features on intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC) after percutaneous microwave ablation (MWA).

Methods: A total of ICC 29 patients (average age 56.34 ± 9.78 years old, 33~75 years old) underwent MWA from March 2012 to December 2020, with a total of 58 lesions (0.5-8.1 cm, mean diameter, 2.68 ± 1.59 cm), and their pre-operative CEUS images and clinical data were collected and reviewed. Survival rate, local progression rate, intra- and extrahepatic metastasis rate were evaluated. Uni- and multivariate analysis were used to analyze the prognostic factors affecting the survival of ICC patients with pre-operative CEUS features.

Results: The median follow-up time after MWA was 18.43 months (4.17-93.13 months). 1-, 2-, and 3-year OS rates were 64.4%, 48.1% and 48.1%; 6-, 12-, 18-, 24-, 36-, 48-, and 60-month local progress and extrahepatic metastasis rates were 0.0%, 4.0%, 17.7%, 17.7%, 17.7%, 17.7%, 17.7% and 3.4%, 21.5%, 32.7%, 45.6%, 55.2%, 55.2% and 77.6%, respectively. Uni- and multivariate analysis showed that post-operative extrahepatic metastasis was an important factor for long-term survival of ICC patients after MWA ( = 0.006, 0.01), and Rim-enhancement feature of pre-operative CEUS was identified as an independent predictor of post-operative extrahepatic metastasis and long-term survival ( = 0.02, 0.02).

Conclusion: Rim-enhancement feature of pre-operative CEUS is a predictor high post-operative extrahepatic metastasis and poor prognosis through distant microvascular metastasis after MWA of ICC patients.

Advances In Knowledge: This study determined the important CEUS features of ICC and analyzed their impact on the prognosis of ICC patients after MWA, providing scientific guidance for better clinical treatment in the future.