Objective To investigate the value of microsphere embolism in hepatocellular carcinoma with TACE. Methods A prospective controlled study was performed. One hundred and eighty patients were divided into the microsphere embolism embolization group, the lipiodol embolization group and the united embolization group. Comparations of the TTP, the interphase of treatment before TTP and the survival curves were performed among the three groups. Differences of the liver function, the WBC number, changes of vascular morphology and complications before and 1 month after treatment were analyzed. Results No statistic differences in the TTP, the survival curves, the liver function, the WBC number, changes of vascular morphology and complications were found among the three group (P > 0.05). No significant difference in the interphase of treatment before TTP was found between the embolism embolization group and the lipiodol embolization group (P>0.05). Significant difference of the interphase of treatment was found between the lipiodol embolization group and the embolism embolization group or the united embolization group(P<0.05). Conclusion The microspheres embolism with TACE is safe, which can extend the interphase of treatment before TTP, but can not extend the TTP and survival curves.