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Keywords:
Abdomen, CT, Imaging sequences, Cirrhosis
Authors:
B. M. Chung, H. J. Park, S. B. Park, J. B. Lee, H. S. Ahn, Y. S. Kim; Seoul/KR
DOI:
10.1594/ecr2015/C-0739
Aims and objectives
A small arterial enhancing lesion with isoattenuation on portal venous phase or delayed phase (a so-called small arterial enhancing lesion) in patients with chronic liver disease presents diagnostic dilemma because the differential diagnosis includes small hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) with atypical vascular pattern as well as benign hypervascular lesion,
such as non-tumorous arterioportal (AP) shunt [1-4].
Most of the small arterial enhancing lesions are usually further evaluated with follow-up computed tomography (CT),
magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) or core needle biopsy.
However,
earlier detection of atypical and small HCC with increased diagnostic confidence on preexisting CT imaging tool could achieve long-term survival and lead to lower needs of follow-up CT or MRI,
improving cost-effectiveness [5].
We hypothesized that the attenuation of HCC on precontrast phase would be lower than that of liver parenchyma,
while the AP shunt would be isoattenuated on precontrast phase.
This poster aimed to evaluate the value of the precontrast phase on liver dynamic CT for differentiation of small arterial enhancing HCC from AP shunt in patients with chronic liver disease.