Are radiopaque beads a real advantage?

We read with great interest the article by Dr Mikhail and colleagues in the November 2018 issue of Radiology (1) entitled “Mapping Drug Dose Distribution on CT Images Following Transarterial Chemoembolization with Radiopaque Drug-Eluting Beads in a Rabbit Tumor Model.” In this animal study using radiopaque beads, Dr Mikhail and colleagues were able to demonstrate a direct correlation between bead attenuation measured at CT examination 1 hour after transarterial chemoembolization (TACE), bead volume in explanted liver at histologic examination, and concentration of doxorubicin in the surrounding parenchyma. Based on these findings, the authors suggest that attenuation value could be a useful tool for customizing therapy and tailoring targeted drug delivery.