Early Recurring Hepatocellular Carcinoma after Partial Hepatic Resection: Preoperative CT Findings

Objective

The purpose of this study was to determine the utility of preoperative CT in predicting early recurrence of hepatocellular carcinoma after partial hepatic resection.

Materials and Methods

Preoperative three-phase helical CT scans in 53 patients with hepatocellular carcinoma were retrospectively reviewed by two radiologists. In 27 patients (group I), HCC had recurred within six months, while 26 (group II) had remained disease free for at least two years. In each group, preoperative CT findings were evaluated in each group for the tumor size and number, the presence or absence of capsule, distinctness of tumor margin, perinodular extension, and the presence or absence of portal vein thrombosis.

Results

In group I, a tumor capsule of tumor was seen in five of 27 patients (19%), and in group II, in 16 of 26 (62%) (p = .001). The tumor margin was distinct in eight patients (30%) in group I and in 20 (77%) in group II (p = .001). Multiple tumors, perinodular extension, and portal vein thrombosis were more frequently seen in group I but the differences were not statistically significant (p > .05). Tumor size was similar in each group (p > .05).

Conclusion

Preoperative CT findings that may help predict the early recurrence of hepatocellular carcinoma after surgical resection are an absence of capsule of tumors and an indistinct margin. Reference to these findings during preoperative CT can guide clinicians in their choice of treatment.     

非肝硬化性肝叶萎缩的CT诊断及临床意义

本文分析丁23例不同病因所致肝叶萎缩的CT资料,认为肝动脉包埋在胆管癌致肝叶萎缩具有重要意义。探讨了不同病因所致肝叶萎缩的机制及鉴别诊断。     

Hepatic abscess caused by Brucella US,CT and MRI findings: case report and review of the literature

The authors describe the findings detected by ultrasonography (US), computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in a 42-year-old patient with a hepatic abscess due to brucellosis. This localization by Brucella (hepatic brucelloma) is quite rare and very often is asymptomatic. A review of the medical literature shows only 40 cases of an hepatic abscess due to brucellosis. The findings demonstrated by US, CT and MRI can offer important diagnostic elements, albeit not specific, which should, together with a positive serologic test, confirm the diagnosis.     

Focal Eosinophilic Necrosis of the Liver in Patients with Underlying Gastric or Colorectal Cancer: CT Differentiation from Metastasis

Objective

To determine the helical CT findings which help differentiate between focal eosinophilic necrosis (FEN) of the liver and metastasis in patients with underlying gastric or colorectal cancer.

Materials and Methods

In 21 patients with underlying gastric and colorectal cancer examined during a recent 18-month period, the presence of FEN (n=90) was proven at CT. The diagnosis was verified by biopsy in eight patients and by the transient nature of the findings related to peripheral eosinophilia (>10%) in the remainder. For comparison, 20 consecutive patients with pathologically proven hepatic metastasis from gastric or colorectal cancer (n=158) were selected. Single-phase helical CT images (7-mm collimation, pitch 1:1) were independently analyzed in a random order by two blinded readers. The parameters evaluated included the margin (depicted border, fuzzy), shape (spherical, non-spherical), attenuation (subtle hypoattenuation, hypoattenuation), and the presence or absence of rim enhancement.

Results

FEN far more frequently showed a fuzzy margin (81%, 84%), subtle hypoattenuation (89%, 91%), and a non-spherical shape (84% for both readers) than metastasis, for which the respective findings were 6%, 22%; 20%, 39%; and 15%, 23%. Rim enhancement was seldom found in FEN (0%, 2%), but was recognized by both readers in 40% of metastases. For all parameters, the results were statistically significant (p < .01), and showed that both readers correctly differentiated FEN from metastasis in 78% of the patients (32/41). Interobserver agreement was, in addition, excellent (κ= 0.66).

Conclusion

When focal hepatic lesions with a fuzzy margin, non-spherical shape and subtle hypoattenuation without rim enhancement are found, the possibility of FEN should be considered even in patients with underlying gastrointestinal malignancy.     

腹腔脓肿的CT表现

目的：旨在进一步提高对腹腔脓肿CT表现的认识。材料和方法：经手术证实的腹腔脓肿15例，回顾性分析腹腔脓肿的CT表现。结果：11例中央呈均匀低密度影及由低密度影勾画出的壁，占73％；内壁光，外壁毛糙分别为8例、10例，分别占72％、90％，增强后壁强化程度明显高于软组织。腔内含气影7例，占46％。脓肿邻近脏器界面显示模糊10例，占66％。腹腔脂肪呈索条状、片状、网格状密度增高9例，占60％。腹壁炎性改变4例，占26％。结论：CT可对腹腔脓肿作出正确诊断，但早期腹腔脓肿，应追踪观察有无脓壁形成，有助于脓肿的诊断。     

Follow-up Results After Negative Findings on Unenhanced Hepatic MR Imaging for Hepatic Metastasis from Rectal Cancer

Objective

To assess the follow-up results after negative findings on unenhanced hepatic MR imaging in rectal cancer patients who have undergone locally curative surgery.

Materials and Methods

From all pertinent imaging reports and medical records, we selected 255 patients who had negative results on unenhanced hepatic MR imaging. When selecting patients who had undergone curative resection, the following patients were excluded from the study: 1) patients in whom extrahepatic metastases were detected on preoperative staging work-ups, 2) patients in whom the surgery was judged to be non-curative due to peritoneal seeding or local aggressiveness. Cases with follow-up periods of less than 18 months were also excluded, as these cases were considered insufficient to confirm the negative outcomes. Thus, a total of 149 patients were ultimately enrolled in our study. The follow-up results of unenhanced MR imagings were assessed according to the assumption that the newly developed hepatic metastases had been false-negative lesions on preoperative MR image.

Results

During a median follow-up period of 29.3 months, 25 hepatic metastases were detected in 13 patients (8.7%), which indicated a negative predictive value of 91.3%.

Conclusion

Unenhanced hepatic MR imaging provides a high negative predictive value with regard to the detection of hepatic metastasis in the preoperative evaluation of rectal cancer.     

Peliosis Hepatis with Hemorrhagic Necrosis and Rupture: a Case Report with Emphasis on the Multi-Detector CT Findings

We report here on an uncommon case of peliosis hepatis with hemorrhagic necrosis that was complicated by massive intrahepatic bleeding and rupture, and treated by emergent right lobectomy. We demonstrate the imaging findings, with emphasis on the triphasic, contrast-enhanced multidetector CT findings, as well as reporting the clinical outcome in a case of peliosis hepatis with fatal hemorrhage.     

Hepatic Cavernous Hemangioma in Cirrhotic Liver: Imaging Findings

Objective

To document the imaging findings of hepatic cavernous hemangioma detected in cirrhotic liver.

Materials and Methods

The imaging findings of 14 hepatic cavernous hemangiomas in ten patients with liver cirrhosis were retrospectively analyzed. A diagnosis of hepatic cavernous hemangioma was based on the findings of two or more of the following imaging studies: MR, including contrast-enhanced dynamic imaging (n = 10), dynamic CT (n = 4), hepatic arteriography (n = 9), and US (n = 10).

Results

The mean size of the 14 hepatic hemangiomas was 0.9 (range, 0.5-1.5) cm in the longest dimension. In 11 of these (79%), contrast-enhanced dynamic CT and MR imaging showed rapid contrast enhancement of the entire lesion during the early phase, and hepatic arteriography revealed globular enhancement and rapid filling-in. On contrast-enhanced MR images, three lesions (21%) showed partial enhancement until the 5-min delayed phases. US indicated that while three slowly enhancing lesions were homogeneously hyperechoic, 9 (82%) of 11 showing rapid enhancement were not delineated.

Conclusion

The majority of hepatic cavernous hemangiomas detected in cirrhotic liver are small in size, and in many, hepatic arteriography and/or contrast-enhanced dynamic CT and MR imaging demonstrates rapid enhancement. US, however, fails to distinguish a lesion of this kind from its cirrhotic background.     

Primary Antiphospholipid Antibody Syndrome: Neuroradiologic Findings in 11 Patients

Objective

To describe the neuroradiologic findings of primary antiphospholipid antibody syndrome (PAPS).

Materials and Methods

During a recent two-year period, abnormally elevated antiphospholipid antibodies were detected in a total of 751 patients. In any cases in which risk factors for stroke were detected - hypertension, diabetes mellitus, hyperlipidemia, smoking, and the presence of SLE or other connective tissue diseases - PAPS was not diagnosed. Neuroradiologic studies were performed in 11 of 32 patients with PAPS. We retrospectively reviewed brain CT (n = 7), MR (n = 8), and cerebral angiography (n = 8) in 11 patients with special attention to the presence of brain parenchymal lesions and cerebral arterial or venous abnormalities.

Results

CT or MR findings of PAPS included nonspecific multiple hyper-intensity foci in deep white matter on T2-weighted images (5/11), a large infarct in the territory of the middle cerebral artery (4/11), diffuse cortical atrophy (2/11), focal hemorrhage (2/11), and dural sinus thrombosis (1/11). Angiographic findings were normal (5/8) or reflected either occlusion of a large cerebral artery (2/8) or dural sinus thrombosis (1/8).

Conclusion

Neuroradiologic findings of PAPS are nonspecific but in young or middle-aged adults who show the above mentioned CT or MR findings, and in whom risk factors for stroke are not present, the condition should be suspected.     

Cytomegalovirus Pneumonia: High-Resolution CT Findings in Ten Non-AIDS Immunocompromised Patients

Objective

To describe the HRCT findings of cytomegalovirus (CMV) pneumonia in non-AIDS immunocompromised patients.

Materials and Methods

This retrospective study involved the ten all non-AIDS immunocompromised patients with biopsy-proven CMV pneumonia and without other pulmonary infection encountered at our Medical Center between January 1997 and May 1999. HRCT scans were retrospectively analysed by two chest radiologists and decisions regarding the findings were reached by consensus.

Results

The most frequent CT pattern was ground-glass opacity, seen in all patients, with bilateral patchy (n = 8) and diffuse (n = 2) distribution. Other findings included poorly-defined small nodules (n = 9) and consolidation (n = 7). There was no zonal predominance. The small nodules, bilateral in eight cases and unilateral in one, were all located in the centrilobular region. Consolidation (n = 7), with patchy distribution, was bilateral in five of seven patients (71%). Pleural effusion and bilateral areas of thickened interlobular septa were seen in six patients (60%).

Conclusion

CMV pneumonia in non-AIDS immunocompromised patients appears on HRCT scans as bilateral mixed areas of ground-glass opacity, poorly-defined centrilobular small nodules, and consolidation. Interlobular septal thickening and pleural effusion are frequently associated.     

肝肺综合征的CT表现及临床意义

目的:探讨肝肺综合征(hepatopulmonary syndrome,HPS)的CT表现及临床意义.材料和方法:对39例经临床、实验室和影像学检查证实为失代偿期肝硬化(decompensation cirrhosis,DCC)并发HPS,40例正常对照组的CT扫描结果以及2例DCC并发HPS的肺动脉DSA结果进行分析.观察:右肺底最大肺纹理的直径;右肺底平均密度;右下肺末梢肺纹理延伸至胸膜面的发生率.结果:右肺底最大肺纹理的直径,病例组(0.44±0.09mm)高于对照组(0.31±0.08mm,P<0.01);病例组右肺底平均密度(-671.4±92.4Hu)大于对照组(-710.1±54.7Hu,P<0.05);右下肺末梢肺纹理延伸至胸膜面的发生率病例组(89.7%)远大于对照组(12.5%,P<0.01).结论:DCC之CT表现有下肺纹理明显增粗、密度明显增高和末梢肺纹理明显延伸至胸膜面时,提示有HPS的CT证据.     

Pulmonary Metastases of Alveolar Soft-Part Sarcoma: CT Findings in Three Patients

Alveolar soft-part sarcoma is a rare soft tissue sarcoma of young adults with unknown histogenesis, and the organ most frequently involved in metastasis is the lung. We report the CT findings of three patients of pulmonary metastases of alveolar soft-part sarcoma, which manifested as clearly enhanced pulmonary nodules or masses. On enhanced scans, some of the masses were seen to contain dilated and tortuous intratumoral vessels.     

肝脏占位性病变的CT诊断及鉴别诊断

目的探讨CT对肝脏占位性病变的诊断及鉴别诊断的价值。方法收集310例肝脏占位性病变(包括原发性肝癌72例,肝转移癌58例,肝血管瘤35例,肝脓肿21例,肝包虫病58例,肝囊肿66例)的临床和CT资料,分析肝脏占位病变的部位、数目、边界以及增强后的CT表现。结果肝脏占位性病变表现为单发或多发低密度灶,边界清或不清,增强后可有程度不一的强化或不强化。本组肝脏占位性病变各自均有典型的CT征象,大多能作出定性诊断。结论CT对肝脏占位性病变的诊断及鉴别诊断有很大的价值。     

肝硬化梗死再生结节的CT表现

目的 探讨肝硬化梗死再生结节的CT表现.方法 回顾性分析经病理证实的5例肝硬化梗死再生结节患者的CT表现及临床资料.结果 5例患者均于食道或胃底静脉曲张出血后就诊.多数病灶呈圆形,病灶数目均大于10枚,直径0.5～2.0 cm,病灶边界多清晰,多位于肝周边邻近肝包膜下.4例结节呈簇状分布,1例呈散在分布,病灶均呈低密度,增强扫描边缘强化.1例3周后复查,之前所见结节消失.结论 肝硬化梗死再生结节多发生于上消化道出血后.CT检查多表现为肝脏周边近包膜下簇状分布的多发、小而呈圆形的低密度灶,增强扫描病灶边缘强化,在一段时间的CT随访中,病灶可消失或大小有所缩小,这些有助于其诊断与鉴别诊断.     

Migrating Lobar Atelectasis of the Right Lung: Radiologic Findings in Six Patients

Objective

To describe the radiologic findings of migrating lobar atelectasis of the right lung.

Materials and Methods

Chest radiographs (n = 6) and CT scans (n = 5) of six patients with migrating lobar atelectasis of the right lung were analyzed retrospectively. The underlying diseases associated with lobar atelectasis were bronchogenic carcinoma (n = 4), bronchial tuberculosis (n = 1), and tracheobronchial amyloidosis (n = 1).

Results

Atelectasis involved the right upper lobe (RUL) (n = 3) and both the RUL and right middle lobe (RML) (n = 3). On supine anteroposterior radiographs (n = 5) and on an erect posteroanterior radiograph (n = 1), the atelectatic lobe(s) occupied the right upper lung zone, with a wedge shape abutting onto the right mediastinal border. On erect posteroanterior radiographs (n = 6), the heavy atelectatic lobe(s) migrated downward, forming a peri- or infrahilar area of increased opacity and obscuring the right cardiac margin. Erect lateral radiographs (n = 4) showed inferior shift of the anterosuperiorly located atelectatic lobe(s) to the anteroinferior portion of the hemithorax.

Conclusion

Atelectatic lobe(s) can move within the hemithorax according to changes in a patient''s position. This process involves the RUL or both the RUL and RML.     

CNS Involvement in Hemophagocytic Lymphohistiocytosis: CT and MR Findings

Hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (HLH) is a rare disorder that is characterized by proliferation of benign histiocytes, and this commonly involves the liver, spleen, lymph nodes, bone marrow and central nervous system (CNS). We report here on the CT and MR imaging findings in a case of CNS HLH that showed multiple ring enhancing masses mimicking abscess or another mass on the CT and MR imaging.     

Thin-Section CT Findings of Arc-Welders' Pneumoconiosis

Objective

To describe the thin-section CT findings of arc-welders'' pneumoconiosis.

Materials and Methods

Eighty-five arc-welders with a three to 30 (mean, 15)-year history of exposure underwent thin-section CT scanning. The extent of abnormalities detected was correlated with the severity of dyspnea and pulmonary function tests. For comparison, images of 43 smoking males (mean 25 pack-year) who underwent thin-section CT for other reasons (smokers'' group) were also analyzed.

Results

Fifty-four welders (63.5%) and six smokers (14.0%) showed positive findings. Predominant thin-section CT findings were poorly-defined centrilobular micronodules (30/54, 55.6%), branching linear structure (18/54, 33.3%), and ground-glass attenuation (6/54, 11.1%). In the smokers'' group, poorly-defined micronodules were found in four patients, branching linear structures in one, and ground-glass attenuation in one. In welders, the extent of abnormalities seen on thin-section CT showed no significant correlation with the severity of dyspnea or the results of pulmonary funotion test.

Conclusion

Poorly-defined centrilobular micronodules and branching linear structures were the thin-section CT findings most frequently seen in patients with arc-welders'' pneumoconiosis. Less commonly, extensive ground-glass attenuation was also seen.     

白塞氏病的胸部CT表现

目的；探讨白塞氏病胸部ＣＴ表现。材料与方法；回顾性分析了１５例白塞氏病患者的胸部ＣＴ表现。结果：１５例中１１例胸部ＣＴ可见不同程度的异常改变，其中２例肺部肿块ＣＴ增强扫描为肺动脉瘤；１例上腔静脉狭窄血栓形成致胸壁侧支循环形成；１例肺动脉高压及肺间质病变；其他异常包括胸腔积液、胸膜增厚、肺灌注不良、肺间质病变及纵隔淋巴结肿大。结论：ＣＴ对白塞氏病患者胸部病变尤其是肺动脉脉瘤的诊断具有重要的价值。     

Detection of Small Hypervascular Hepatocellular Carcinomas in Cirrhotic Patients: Comparison of Superparamagnetic Iron Oxide-Enhanced MR Imaging with Dual-Phase Spiral CT

Objective

To compare the performance of superparamagnetic iron oxide (SPIO)-enhanced magnetic resonance (MR) imaging at 1.5T and dual-phase spiral computed tomography (CT) for the depiction of small hypervascular hepatocellular carcinomas (HCCs).

Materials and Methods

Forty-three patients with 70 small nodular HCCs (5-20 mm; mean, 13.7 mm) were examined. Diagnosis was based on the results of surgical biopsy in 22 patients and by the combined assessment of MR imaging, lipiodol CT, alpha feto-protein levels, and angiographic findings in 21. MR imaging consisted of respiratory-triggered turbo spin-echo T2-weighted imaging, T1-weighted fast low-angle shot, and T2*-weighted fast imaging with steady-state precession imaging before and after SPIO enhancement. CT imaging was performed with 5-mm collimation and 1:1.4 pitch, and began 30 and 65 secs after the injection of 150 mL of contrast medium at a rate of 3 mL/sec. Two blinded observers reviewed all images independently on a segment-by-segment basis. Diagnostic accuracy was evaluated using receiver operating characteristics (ROC) analysis.

Results

The mean areas (Az) under the ROC curves were 0.85 for SPIO-enhanced MR imaging and 0.79 for dual-phase spiral CT (p < .05). The mean sensitivity of SPIO-enhanced MR imaging was significantly higher than that of CT (p < .05), i.e. 70.6% for MR imaging and 58.1% for CT. MR imaging had higher false-positive rates than dual-phase spiral CT, but the difference was not statistically significant (3.7% vs 3.3%) (p > .05).

Conclusion

SPIO-enhanced MR imaging is more sensitive than dual-phase spiral CT for the depiction of small hypervascular hepatocellular carcinomas.