Abstract: Objective  To analyze the manifestations of the digital subtraction angiography(DSA) in rabbit liver metastases(LM) model of VX2 tumor strain implanted in the spleen, and to explore whether the model could be an ideal animal model for the treatment of liver metastases by hepatic artery infusion chemotherapy/transcatheter arterial chemoembolization(HAI/TACE). 
Methods  A total of 40 New Zealand white rabbits were selected to establish the rabbit LM model of VX2 tumor strain implanted in the spleen. The right femoral artery was punctured under direct vision, and the microcatheter was advanced into the hepatic artery. The hepatic artery DSA was performed to observe the blood supply and staining of rabbit LM of the VX2 tumor strain, and then the hepatic artery cone-beam enhanced CT was performed to observe arterial enhancement method of rabbit LM of the VX2 tumor strain, as well as the histological appearance under the HE staining microscope. 
Results  A total of 37 rabbits LM models of VX2 tumor strain were successfully established, all of which underwent femoral artery puncture and cannulation. Of them, 32 were successful in one puncture and cannulation, and the success rate of puncture was 86.5%(32/37). DSA revealed 57 LMs in rabbit VX2 tumor strain, including 38 with moderate blood supply and 19 with insufficient blood supply. The DSA manifestations included tortuous intrahepatic artery, and the tumor blood supply branch of LM was disordered and irregular. The multiple LM staining could be seen in the middle and late stages of the artery, which had circular shape. The central area staining was lighter than the edge staining, and the parenchymal LM staining was further aggravated, but the staining was less than normal liver parenchyma. Cone-beam enhanced CT of hepatic artery showed multiple LMs of different sizes. The enhancement was characterized by a ring-shaped enhancement around the metastatic tumor and no enhancement in the central area. The DSA stained part of the LM, the location and degree of tumor enhancement of the hepatic artery cone beam CT were consistent with the LM enhancement by the abdominal enhancement CT, which was the peripheral enhancement of LM. This corresponded to the observation of active tumor cells, inflammatory cells and inflammatory cells in the periphery of the tumor under the HE microscope. The DSA center staining of LM was light, and the unenhanced parts of the hepatic artery cone beam CT were consistent with the LM unenhanced performance of the abdominal enhanced CT, which was corresponding to the distribution of basophilic erythrodermic necrosis tumor cell under the HE microscope. 
Conclusion  The rabbit LM model of VX2 tumor strain implanted in the spleen conforms to the imaging findings of annular enhancement in clinical settings, and DSA revealed medium blood supply or insufficent blood supply. This can provide an ideal animal model for the clinical study of the therapeutic effect of HAI/TACE, which is worthy of popularization and application in basic or clinical experiments. 

Key words: liver metastases, neoplasm seeding, digital subtraction angiography