Background: VX-2 tumor model used to mimic HCC allows in-vivo testing of intra-arterial therapy but is limited by the need to subculture cells in a rabbit. N1-S1 is a commercially available hepatoma cell line that grows in suspension culture and is transplantable to Wistar & Sprague Dawley Rats in a more reliable fashion. The purpose of this study was to assess the technical feasiblity of catheterizing the hepatic artery of a wistar rat via a transfemoral approach and to describe the arterial and CT anatomy of the rat liver with respect to the lobar anatomy and the relationship between the gastric & duodenal arteries and the hepatic arterial circulation.

Methods: Transfemoral access was achieved in 4 consecutive Wistar rats (463-714 g) with an Excel-14microcatheter cut to 57cm. Using a BMW guidewire, we were able to cannulate the hepatic artery in all animals. DSA was performed. In two of the animals, CT scans of the abdomen were performed with contrast injected at a rate of 0.3 ml/min for a volume of 2 ml through the microcatheter in the hepatic artery.

Results: The hepatic artery was canulated in all animals. The right gastric artery and the gastroduodenal artery are prominent (figure 1) but the catheter was able to be advanced beyond these vessels in all 4 animals. When the catheter is beyond the GDA and right gastric artery no flow is seen to the stomach or duodenum. Arterial branches to each of the 6 lobes was identified. When the catheter is proximal to the hepatic artery branches, large gastroduodenal & right gastric branches are filled. CT scans demonstrated 6 hepatic lobes with arterial enhancement through the catheter.

Conclusions: It is feasible to use a Wistar Rat for pre-clinical studies of trans-arterial therapy. Canulation is possible & can be performed such that the tip of the catheter is beyond the gastroduodenal artery and right gastric artery. We plan to use this model to test tumor growth and transarterial therapies of hepatomas.