CT Findings of Increased Attenuation of the Liver Adjacent to the Hemangioma

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the frequency, location, and appearance of increasedattenuation of the liver adjacent to a mass during arterial-phase spiral CT in patients with hemangioma. Thecharacteristics of the mass associated with these findings were also evaluated. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Usingspiral CT, 153 lesions in 114 hepatic hemangioma patients were retrospectively reviewed. We evaluated thefrequency, location, and appearance of increased hepatic attenuation adjacent to the hemangioma, and determinedwhether lesion size varied according to whether or not there was increased hepatic attenuation. RESULTS: Areas ofincreased hepatic attenuation adjacent to the hemangioma were identified in 10.5% of cas-es(16/153) and seen inmasses which showed a homogeneously hyperdense (11/16, 69%) or peripherally hy-perdense pattern (5/16, 31%). Thelocation of increased hepatic attenuation was commonly the peripheral por-tion (9/16, 56%), and increased hepaticattenuation was frequently wedge shaped of the mass (11/16, 69%). Lesion size did not vary according to whether ornot there was increased hepatic attenuation. CONCLUSION: Increased hepatic attenuation adjacent to a hemangiomais not rare, and is usually located periph-eral to the mass. It is common in a mass showing a homogeneouslyhyperdense pattern.

Difference of Contrast Enhancement Characteristics of Hepatic Hemangiomas According to the Lesion Size onTwo-Phase Spiral CT

PURPOSE: To determine the different of enhancement patterns of hepatic hemangioma according to the lesionsize, using dual-phase spiral CT. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Fify-nine lesions in 45 patients with hepatichemangiomas were subjected to spiral Ct. According to size, the lesions were divided into two groups(_2.5cm : n=25). The enhancement patterns of the lesions were classified as one of four types (homogeneoushyperdense, peripheral hyperdense, central hyperdense, or hypodense) during the early phase, and as one of fivetypes homogeneous hyperdense, peripheral hyperdense, central hyperdense, hypodense or isodense) during the delayedphase. We evaluated differences in enhancement patterns during the early and delayed phase according to lesionsize. RESULTS: During the early phase, the enhancement patterns of lesions large than 2.5cm were peripheralhyperdense(96%) or homogeneous hyperdense (4%);those of less than 2.5cm were peripheral hyperdense (53%),homogeneous hyperdense(26%), hypodense(18%), or central hyperdense(3%). Thus, hemangiomas in these two groupsusually showed a peripheral enhancement pattern during the early phase, but in those which were smaller than2.5cm, atypical enhancement patterns were more common. During the delayed phase, the enhancement patterns oflesions larger than 2.5cm were peripheral hyperdense (60%) or homogenous hyperdense (40%), while the patterns ofthose smaller than 2.5cm were homogeneous hyperdense (67%), peripheral hyperdense (24%), central hyperdense (3%),hypodense (3%), or isodense (3%). Thus, the enhancement patterns of lesions larger than 2.5cm were usuallyperipherally hyperdense during the delayed phase, while those smaller than 2.5cm showed a homogeneous enhancementpattern. CONCLUSION: The enhancement patterns of hepatic hemangiomas differ according to lesion size. A knowledgeof these differences is helpful in the diagnosis of hepatic hemangioma.