PURPOSE: To analyse the parameters of in vivo pharmacokinetics such as absorption, distributionin , and excretion of adriamycin patients with hepatocellular carcinoma, and investigate the stagnation of adriamycin, in the liver. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Five patients in whom hepatocellular carcinoma was diagnosed and who were admitted for transhepatic chemoembolization were involved in this study. Fifty mg of adriamycin was mixed with 2.5 mL of water-soluble contrast material and 12 -15 mL of lipiodol, and the emulsion was injected into a selected tumor-supplying artery using a 3-F catheter. Between 1 minute and 72 hours after chemoembolization, peripheral blood samples were then obtained, and from these the blood concentration curve of adriamycin was calculated and applied to a two-compartment model. Using the model, several pharmacokinetic parameters were estimated. RESULTS: The volume of the central and the peripheral compartment was 45 L and 4090.6 L, respectively. 75.14% of adriamycin was delivered to the liver directly, and the absorption rate constant was 2.448/hr. Distribution clearance was 969.3 L/hr, and excretion and metabolic clearance was 136.4 L/hr. CONCLUSION: Using a two-compartment model, the in vivo pharmacokinetics of adriamycin after hepatic arterial chemoembolization were successfully analyzed. On the basis of the parameters determined, it may be concluded that in these five patients, adriamycin remained in the liver in much greater quantities and for longer. Index words : Liver neoplasms Liver neoplasms, chemotherapeutic embolization Chemotherapy, regional