A study to assess the distribution of cystic and solid hepatic lesionson contrast enhanced helical computed tomography
Abstract
Introduction: Focal liver lesions are defined as solid or liquid-containing masses foreign to the normal anatomy of the liver that may be told apart from the latter organ using imaging techniques.
Material and Methods: This prospective study was done in the Department of Radiodiagnosis and imaging at Bhopal Medical Centre, Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh, India. A total of 100 patients who were referred to our department with strong clinical suspicion of focal liver lesion and those diagnosed by ultrasonography underwent multiphasic contrast enhanced CT evaluation of abdomen using Single slice Spiral CT scanner from March 2010 to May 2012.
Results: The majority of lesions appeared as solid lesions on CT comprising 63% of lesions. The remaining were cystic lesions comprising 37% of cases. Among the cystic lesions, the most common CT diagnosis was Simple Cyst Seen in 49% of cases. The other diagnosis was liver abscess in 30% and hydatid cyst in 21%. Among the solid lesions, the most common CT diagnosis was that of metastases seen in 49% of cases. The next common lesions seen were HCC seen in 22.5% of cases and hemangioma seen in 19.5% of cases.
Discussion: Simple cysts are diagnosed by the presence of a well defined intra hepatic mass of fluid attenuation, no perceptible wall or internal septations and no enhancement. Among solid lesions, haemangiomas were diagnosed by the presence of a hypodense lesion with peripheral nodular enhancement of arterial attenuation with centripetal fill in.
Conclusion: Most of the lesions evaluated were solid compared to cystic. Among cystic lesions, simple cyst was the most common abnormality seen in around half the cases followed by liver abscess and hydatid cyst. Among the solid lesions, the most common abnormality detected was metastases seen in around half the cases followed by HCC and hemangioma.
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References
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