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Transcatheter hepatic arterial embolization with Spongostan (99.3% gelatin) was performed in a group of normal rats. By repeat angiography could be demonstrated that arterial occlusions lasted for at least 1 to 8 days in most rats. Microscopy of these normal livers gave no evidence of parenchymatous liver injury. At postembolization angiography in a group of rats with experimental liver tumours it could be demonstrated that arterial supply of these tumours was temporarily completely arrested. Microscopy of some of these neoplasms revealed extensive necroses. The eventual future clinical applications of this procedure as an alternative to hepatic artery ligation is discussed.

Tumour vascularity of a transplantable N-methyl-N-nitrosoguanidine induced adenocarcinoma of the colon in the liver was investigated by repeated hepatic arteriography and portography. The arterial vascularity was influenced by tumour size; a transient increase in vascularization was observed when tumour size increased. Portography revealed portal vessels concentrated to the peripheral parts but some portal vessels were also observed leading to the central part of the adenocarcinomas. The tumour volume of solitary adenocarcinoma in the liver could be estimated from measurements of the largest (a) and smallest (b) diameters on the angiogram according to the formula V = a x b2/2.