Aims and objectives
Intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma,
is defined as an adenocarcinoma arising from the intrahepatic biliary epithelium,
and is typically a mass-forming tumor.
It accounts for 5-10% of all cholangiocarcinomas [1].
Intrahepatic mass-forming cholangiocarcinoma (IMC) represents 10% of primary liver tumors,
and is the second most common hepatic malignancy after hepatocellular carcinoma [2].
MRI has become a gold standard in characterization and detection of focal liver lesions,
and offers the possibility of using liver-specific contrast agents [3].
However,
the detection and characterization of intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma by imaging is a...
Methods and materials
Patients: A review of pathology and radiology records identified 29 patients with a diagnosis of IMC.
Each patient had undergone MRI examination at our facility during the period from June 2004 to June 2014.There were 19 men and 10 women,
with a mean age of 64 years (range 40-80 years).
No patient had a history of exposure to clonorchiasis or Thorotrast (thorium oxide).
Four patients had a history of liver cirrhosis (2 alcohol related; 2 cryptogenic).
No treatment for malignancy had been administered at the...
Results
The tumors ranged from 2.7 to 15.5 cm (mean 9.1 cm) in maximum diameter.
In 14 patients (48%) satellites nodules near the largest lesion and/or intrahepatic metastasis were detected.
The lesions were located in the right lobe in 21 cases (72%),
in the left lobe in 3 cases (10%),
and in both lobes in 5 cases (17%). Contours of the lesion were lobulated or irregular in all patients but two (93%),
with absence of capsule.
On T1-weighted images,
the IMC appeared as a homogeneous hypointense...
Conclusion
Intrahepatic or peripheral cholangiocarcinoma is an uncommon primary hepatic malignancy,
with increasing incidence worldwide [2].
In the literature,
some reports have described MRI of IMC[10,
11] but,
to the best of our knowledge,
there are few studies with descriptions of Gd-BOPTA MRI features relating to mass-forming cholangiocarcinoma,
and in particular only one large and extensive study of the hepatobiliary pattern has been published [4].
Though some suggestive features have been reported,
IMC is often difficult to differentiate from metastatic adenocarcinoma [12].
In our study we...
Personal information
Authors: Giuseppe Mamone,
MD,
Gianluca Marrone,
MD,
Giovanni Gentile,
MD,
Vincenzo Carollo,
MD,
Mariapina Milazzo,
MD,
Angelo Luca,
MD.
Institution: Mediterranean Institute for Transplantation and Advanced Specialized Therapies (ISMETT) - University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (UPMC),
Via Ernesto Tricomi 5,
90127 Palermo (Italy).
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Cholangiocarcinoma: a spectrum of intrahepatic,
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Jeon TY,
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The value of gadobenate dimeglumine–enhanced hepatobiliary-phase MR imaging for the differentiation of scirrhous hepatocellular carcinoma...