Predicting and Monitoring Response to Chemotherapy by Benzamide Riboside in Hepatocellular Carcinoma Using Apparent Diffusion Coefficient of Water

Andriy Babsky¹, Shenghong Ju², Beena George, Stacy Bennett, Mingsheng Huang, Hiremagalur N. Jayaram, Gordon McLennan, Navin Bansal

Implantation of N1S1 cells in the rat liver can be used as an intrahepatic hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) model for pre-clinical study of transarterial therapy with the apoptotic agent benzamide riboside (BR). Water apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) in HCC was higher than in nearby normal liver tissue. Intrahepatic infusion of BR was a semi-effective treatment of HCC in rats. BR therapy did not change the water ADC value, regardless of tumor sensitivity. A higher initial ADC level could be a promising sign for effective BR treatment, and in contrast, tumors with a lower initial ADC value are most likely to be resistant to BR-treatment.