Massive Hepatic Necrosis with Gastric, Splenic, and Pancreatic Infarctions after Ethanol Ablation for Hepatocellular Carcinoma

Hepatic necrosis after ethanol ablation for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), although rare, is well known and described, particularly in patients with chronic liver disease. The present report describes a rare case of massive hepatic necrosis with partial gastric, splenic, and pancreatic infarctions after local treatment of liver HCC with ethanol ablation and discusses the reasons for this complication. With the increasing use of percutaneous techniques to treat liver tumors, it is imperative for the interventional radiologist to be aware of the potential vascular complications of these techniques. An appreciation of vascular anatomy via multidetector computed tomography (CT) and/or magnetic resonance (MR) angiography is important when planning image-guided interventions.