PURPOSE: To prove whether the arterioportal shunt, especially transvasal shunt is one of the cause of the hypovascular hepatocellular carcinoma. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We evaluated the early phase images of table incremental dynamic CT and hepatic angiography in 20 cases of hepatoceltular carcinomas with transvasal arterioportal shunt. RESULTS: In hepatic arteriography, 18 cases were hypovascular and the remained 2 cases showed hypervascular tumor staining than surrounding normal hepatic parenchyme. In the early phase dynamic CT, 18 cases were hypodense(including 4 cases of focal hyperdensity in hypodense background), one was isodense and remaining one was hyperdense. CONCLUSION: Arterioportal shunt, especially transvasal shunt may make originally hypervasular hepato-cellular carcinoma to hypovascular lesion in the early phase dynamic CT or hepatic arteriography. In attempt to differentiate hepatic masses by tumor vascularity in recently widely used table incremental dynamic CT, the vascular patterns of the mass should be considered by close evaluation of vascular pattern of the liver, such as morphology of perfusion abnormality and arterioportal shunt, etc.
Angiography ; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular* ; Liver ; Perfusion

Desmoid tumor is a type of fibromatosis usually arise in deep musculo-aponeurotic structures, primarily of the trunk and extremities. It is characterized by proliferation of fibroblastic tissue and does not metastasize but may be locally aggressive. Eventhough the surgical margin reveals clean, recurrence often occurs. To analyze the extent of the tumor and homodynamic characteristics exactly, we performed IV bolus CT. Desmoid tumors show peripheral rim enhancement on early phase scan and more strong, central enhancement on late phase IV bolus CT, which reflects abundant fibroblastic components of the tumor. We report two cases of pathologically confirmed desmoid tumor performed IV bolus CT.
Abdominal Wall ; Extremities ; Fibroblasts ; Fibroma ; Fibromatosis, Aggressive* ; Recurrence

Isolated heaptic tuberculous granuloma with no coexistent tuberculosis elsewhere in the body is extremely rare. We report a case of pathologically proven tuberculous granuloma in the liver followed with both IV bolus and portal CT scans. The lesion on preenhanced CT scan showed undefinable isodensity. After IV bolus injection, it showed poor enhancement with central low-density and surrounding hyperdenity due to compensatory hypervascularity of the left lobe of liver in early phase. It showed peripheral rim enhancement in late phase and in delayed phase showed relatively homogeneous but slightly decreased contract enhancement. On portal CT scan, it showed a hypodense portal defect similar to other hepatic mass lesions. During follow-up studies, it was a slowly growing mass which was more easily detectable by prtal CT scans than bolus CT scans.
Follow-Up Studies ; Granuloma* ; Liver ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed ; Tuberculosis

We performed IV bolus CT scan in 40 patients with final diagnosis of various hepatic masses in order to evaluate hemodynamic changes and differentiating characters of the lesions. Preenhanced, early and late phase post enhanced, and delayed CT scans were obtained with rapid IV bolus injection of contrast materials and table sliding method for pertinent scans. In hepatomas, early enhanced CT scan directly showed hypervascular change and active viable portion of the mass and late phase CT scan showed capsular enhancement. In addition, extracapsular invasion and post-embolization recurrence were more easily visualized. In hemangiomas, early and late enhancing types could be categorized according to the time of maximal enhancement. In metastatic liver malignancies and cholangiocarcinomas, specific findings were seen in early phase and delayed CT scans and not in conventional CT scan. In conclusion, IV bolus CT scan is a very useful CT method in demonstrating the characteristic hemodynamic patterns and in differential diagnosis of the hepatic masses.
Carcinoma, Hepatocellular ; Cholangiocarcinoma ; Contrast Media ; Diagnosis ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Hemangioma ; Hemodynamics ; Humans ; Liver ; Methods ; Recurrence ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed*

Authors compared early phase scan of the IV bolus CT (two phase incremental bolus dynamic CT) with late enhanecd scan similar to the conventional contrast enhanced CT for evaluation of the advantages of the IV bolus CT with two viewpoints of the pancreatic or peripancreatic mass and peripancreatic lymphadenopathy in 68 patients-28 cases of the pancreatic cancer, 6 cases of the pancreatitis and 34 cases of the pancreatic or peripancreatic metastasis. On the diagnosis of the pancreatic or peripancreatic mass, IV bolus CT could show the lesion(s) more easily in 41% (Grade II; 13/31) and much more easily in 34% (Grade III; 10/31) when compared with conventional contrast CT scan. The diagnosis of the peripancreatic lymph node involvement was also easy in 51%(Grade II; 20/39) and much easier in 37% (Grade III; 14/39). We thought that these differences were originated from the increase of the contrast between the lesion and normal portion because the early enhanced scans reflected the active blood flow change more exactly. Therefore IV bolus CT had advantages in comparison with the conventional drip infusion contrast CT in the diagnosis of the presence and pathologic extension of the pancreatic and peripancreatic lesion.
Diagnosis ; Infusions, Intravenous ; Lymph Nodes ; Lymphatic Diseases ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Pancreatic Neoplasms ; Pancreatitis ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed

Authors compared early phase scan of the IV bolus CT (two phase incremental bolus dynamic CT) with late enhanecd scan similar to the conventional contrast enhanced CT for evaluation of the advantages of the IV bolus CT with two viewpoints of the pancreatic or peripancreatic mass and peripancreatic lymphadenopathy in 68 patients-28 cases of the pancreatic cancer, 6 cases of the pancreatitis and 34 cases of the pancreatic or peripancreatic metastasis. On the diagnosis of the pancreatic or peripancreatic mass, IV bolus CT could show the lesion(s) more easily in 41% (Grade II; 13/31) and much more easily in 34% (Grade III; 10/31) when compared with conventional contrast CT scan. The diagnosis of the peripancreatic lymph node involvement was also easy in 51%(Grade II; 20/39) and much easier in 37% (Grade III; 14/39). We thought that these differences were originated from the increase of the contrast between the lesion and normal portion because the early enhanced scans reflected the active blood flow change more exactly. Therefore IV bolus CT had advantages in comparison with the conventional drip infusion contrast CT in the diagnosis of the presence and pathologic extension of the pancreatic and peripancreatic lesion.
Diagnosis ; Infusions, Intravenous ; Lymph Nodes ; Lymphatic Diseases ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Pancreatic Neoplasms ; Pancreatitis ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed

Focal nodular hyperplasia is a benign hepatic tumor mainly composed of nodules of hepatocytes and Kupffer cells separated by fibrous septa. In general, it is difficult to differentiate focal nodular hyperplasia and hepatocellular carcinoma on ultrasonography, conventional CT(computerized tomography), and angiography. But IV bolus CT is of particular value in the diagnosis of focal nodular hyperplasia because it can divide enhanced CT into early and late phase and can characterize tumor vascularity and analyze any intratumoral elements. In our case, it was seen as a hypoechoic mass lesion on ultrasonograpl'hy and hyperdense mass lesion on early-phase IV bolus CF and isodense mass, lesion on late-phase IV bolus CT. On angiography, hypertrophy of the feeding artery and tumor staining were well visualized. The patient underwent operation and the mass was pathologically confirmed to a focal nodular hyperplasia. We report the first case of focal nodular hyperplasia on IV bolus CT in Korea.
Angiography ; Arteries ; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular ; Diagnosis ; Focal Nodular Hyperplasia ; Hepatocytes ; Humans ; Hypertrophy ; Korea ; Kupffer Cells ; Liver* ; Ultrasonography

PURPOSE: To identify the four layers based on intranodular vascular nature visible in multiphase incremental bolus dynamic CT and to determine any differential points according to various factors of liver abscess with this vascular nature or not. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We categonized 29 cases of confirmed liver abscess into three different groups according to presence of four layers visible in early phase(arterial phase) of CT. Three groups were compared in regard to the results of antiamebic antibody test and bacteriologic study and presense of cholangitic abscess and internal septation. RESULTS: We could separate four layers, innermost hypodense central cavitary lesion, hyperdense granular tissue, hypodense abscess wall and outermost hyperdense compensatory hypervascular zone in 18 cases(62%), only two layers, cavity and wall in six cases(21%), and characteristically we could find three layers without innermost cavitary lesion in five cases(17%). But we couldn't find significant correlations between various clinical factors of liver abscess and our vascular groups. CONCLUSION: Our method of CT could represent four layers based on vascularity in 62% of cases. And also could find the unusual inflammatory mass containing three layer which must be differentiated from other malignant solid mass. But we couldn't find differential point between various clinical factor of liver abscess and imaging diagnosis. We think that with the improvement of hardware such as spiral CT, identification of four layers will be earier and will be very helpful in early detection and proper treatment planning of liver abscess.
Abscess* ; Diagnosis ; Liver Abscess* ; Liver* ; Tomography, Spiral Computed

PURPOSE: To evaluate the radiological patterns of vascular invasion in peripheral cholangiocarcinomas. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Hepatic arteriography and portography in 20 cases with cholangiocarcinoma including 12 cases with anglographic CT were retrospectively analized. RESULTS: The arteriography showed no arterioportal shunt, hypertrophy of tumor vessel, or tumor staining extending to central portion of the mass in all cases. However, doughnut shaped peripheral tumor staining was seen until late hepatogram phase in 12 cases and compensatory hyperperfusion around the mass was seen in six cases(eight cases if include arterial CT). Encasement of tumor vessel was seen in 12 cases, and hypertrophy of feeding vessel in nine cases. On portogrphy, the filling defect on segmental portal branch could be demonstrated only in 11 cases. Shape of the portal defect was tapered narrowing in six cases, abrupt narrowing in two cases but intraluminal nodular filling defect was not seen. Remainning three cases were difficult to define the shape. On seven cases of CT during arterial portography, three cases showed mass shaped defect and four showed segmental defect but three of them could demonstrate the partially preserved portal flow in defective portal area. CONCLUSION: Hepatic arteriography in peripheral cholagiocarcinoma showed no evidence of hypertrophy of tumor vessels and tumor stain extending to central portion but peripheral staining on late hepatogram phase and compensatory hyperperfusion could be seen. Portal vein was more commonly involved through perivascular connective tissue invasion rather than by direct extension into the portal lumen.
Angiography* ; Cholangiocarcinoma* ; Connective Tissue ; Hypertrophy ; Portal Vein ; Portography ; Retrospective Studies

PURPOSE: To evaluate the radiological patterns of vascular invasion in peripheral cholangiocarcinomas. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Hepatic arteriography and portography in 20 cases with cholangiocarcinoma including 12 cases with anglographic CT were retrospectively analized. RESULTS: The arteriography showed no arterioportal shunt, hypertrophy of tumor vessel, or tumor staining extending to central portion of the mass in all cases. However, doughnut shaped peripheral tumor staining was seen until late hepatogram phase in 12 cases and compensatory hyperperfusion around the mass was seen in six cases(eight cases if include arterial CT). Encasement of tumor vessel was seen in 12 cases, and hypertrophy of feeding vessel in nine cases. On portogrphy, the filling defect on segmental portal branch could be demonstrated only in 11 cases. Shape of the portal defect was tapered narrowing in six cases, abrupt narrowing in two cases but intraluminal nodular filling defect was not seen. Remainning three cases were difficult to define the shape. On seven cases of CT during arterial portography, three cases showed mass shaped defect and four showed segmental defect but three of them could demonstrate the partially preserved portal flow in defective portal area. CONCLUSION: Hepatic arteriography in peripheral cholagiocarcinoma showed no evidence of hypertrophy of tumor vessels and tumor stain extending to central portion but peripheral staining on late hepatogram phase and compensatory hyperperfusion could be seen. Portal vein was more commonly involved through perivascular connective tissue invasion rather than by direct extension into the portal lumen.
Angiography* ; Cholangiocarcinoma* ; Connective Tissue ; Hypertrophy ; Portal Vein ; Portography ; Retrospective Studies