RESUMO
This study was carried out on 36 patients: 26 men, 10 women; mean age +/- SD [45.5 +/- 6.4 and 44 +/- 5.9] years respectively with suspected HCC after ultrasonographic examination underwent MDH CT of the liver. A quadruple-phase protocol that included unenhanced, hepatic arterial, portal venous and delayed venous phases was performed. A total number of 62 biopsy-approved HCC lesions were included in this study, 58 lesions were sonographically detected, and extra 4 lesions were detected only after triphasic MDCT scanning. Images were interpreted regarding the size, homogeneity, pattern of enhancement hypervascularity and washout, capsule, abnormal internal vessels, calcifications, fat and central scar. Most of the HCCs were hypervascular [91.9%] exhibiting mosaic pattern of enhancement on the hepatic arterial and portal venous phases [82.45%, and 78.94% respectively]. Portal venous phase washout accounted for 70.17% of hypervascular HCCs, capsulated lesions accounted for 27.1%; 37.5% of these capsules were identified on the delayed venous phase only. The dual-phase MDH CT detected 57 [91.9%] out of the 62 lesions compared with the triple-phase MDH CT where 59 [95.16%] lesions were detected. 2 HCC [3.38%] were seen only in the delayed venous phase as hypo attenuating nodules