Vascularization of liver metastases: a corrosion cast study

22 livers with multiple metastases from different primaries were injected with acrylate resin and examined stereoscopically. All metastases had developed an individual pattern of vascularization. The metastases of 8 out of 12 livers injected via the portal vein showed a distinct blood supply by the portal vessels. In all 16 livers with arterial hypervascularized metastases the development of pathological tumor vessels could be demonstrated. All metastases of the same liver showed an identical pattern of vascularization. Larger branches of the hepatic vein always were displaced by the growing tumor. It was impossible however to infer from the vascularization pattern of the metastases to the primaries. The clinical relevance of these anatomical findings will be discussed.