OBJECTIVESTo evaluate multiphase hepatic CT scan using multidetector row helical CT (MDCT) in detecting hypervascular small hepatocellular carcinoma (SHCC).

METHODSMultiphase hepatic CT scan in 75 patients with SHCC was carried out with Marconi MX8000 multidetector row helical CT scanner. The early arterial phase scan started at the 21th second after the injection of contrast medium, the late arterial phase scan started at the 34th second, and the portal venous phase started at the 80tieth second, six seconds every time.

RESULTSThe study showed that the density values of 71 lesions between liver and SHCC were different significantly among the early arterial phase, the late arterial phase and the portal venous phase (F=3.327, P<0.05). Among the 91 lesions, the detectable rates of the early arterial phase and the late arterial phase were 45.1% and 83.5%, respectively. The rate of double arterial phases was 92.3%. The rates increased to 94.5% and 97.8%, when the late arterial phase combined with the portal venous phase and the double arterial phase combined with the portal venous phase.

CONCLUSIONThe utility of MDCT with faster speed, thinner slice and multiphases scanning has improved the opportunity of detecting hypervascular hepatocellular carcinoma.