Radiology, Vol 160, 613-618, Copyright © 1986 by Radiological Society of North America

ARTICLES

Patterns of contrast enhancement of benign and malignant hepatic neoplasms during bolus dynamic and delayed CT

PC Freeny and WM Marks

Bolus dynamic and delayed computed tomographic (CT) scans of the liver were evaluated in 43 patients with 54 hepatic hemangiomas and 111 patients with primary or secondary malignant hepatic neoplasms. Twelve patterns of contrast enhancement were recognized during the bolus dynamic phase and delayed scanning. A "typical" CT pattern for hemangiomas (present in 29 of 54 hemangiomas [53.7%]) was established: (a) diminished attenuation prior to intravenous contrast medium administration (excluding lesions arising in a liver with diffuse fatty infiltration), (b) peripheral contrast enhancement during the bolus dynamic phase, and (c) complete isodense fill-in on delayed scan images. Using these criteria, we distinguished hemangiomas from malignant neoplasms in most patients. Only one of 63 (1.6%) malignant neoplasms manifested these typical CT criteria of hemangioma. There is an 86% chance that a lesion with the typical CT appearance of hemangioma is actually a hemangioma, even when found in a patient with a known nonhepatic primary neoplasm.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				P. N. Burns and S. R. Wilson Focal Liver Masses: Enhancement Patterns on Contrast-enhanced Images--Concordance of US Scans with CT Scans and MR Images Radiology, December 1, 2006; 242(1): 162 - 174. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				E Caturelli, L Solmi, M Anti, S Fusilli, P Roselli, A Andriulli, F Fornari, C Del Vecchio Blanco, and I de Sio Ultrasound guided fine needle biopsy of early hepatocellular carcinoma complicating liver cirrhosis: a multicentre study Gut, September 1, 2004; 53(9): 1356 - 1362. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				H. Hisai, J. Kato, M. Kobune, T. Murakami, K. Miyanishi, M. Takahashi, N. Yoshizaki, R. Takimoto, T. Terui, and Y. Niitsu Increased Expression of Angiogenin in Hepatocellular Carcinoma in Correlation with Tumor Vascularity Clin. Cancer Res., October 15, 2003; 9(13): 4852 - 4859. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				J. H. Youk, C. S. Kim, and J. M. Lee Contrast-Enhanced Agent Detection Imaging: Value in the Characterization of Focal Hepatic Lesions J. Ultrasound Med., September 1, 2003; 22(9): 897 - 910. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				J. H. Kim, T. K. Kim, B. S. Kim, H. W. Eun, P. N. Kim, M.-G. Lee, and H. K. Ha Enhancement of Hepatic Hemangiomas With Levovist on Coded Harmonic Angiographic Ultrasonography J. Ultrasound Med., February 1, 2002; 21(2): 141 - 148. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				K. W. Kim, T. K. Kim, J. K. Han, A. Y. Kim, H. J. Lee, and B. I. Choi Hepatic Hemangiomas with Arterioportal Shunt: Findings at Two-Phase CT Radiology, June 1, 2001; 219(3): 707 - 711. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				M. Nino-Murcia, E. W. Olcott, R. B. Jeffrey Jr, R. L. Lamm, C. F. Beaulieu, and K. A. Jain Focal Liver Lesions: Pattern-based Classification Scheme for Enhancement at Arterial Phase CT Radiology, June 1, 2000; 215(3): 746 - 751. [Abstract] [Full Text]