Clinical significance of enlarged perihepatic lymph node on ultrasonography.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the relation between enlarged perihepatic lymph node (PLN) and viraemia, and to find out whether there is a difference in PLN size between the healthy individuals and patients with hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection. METHOD: Seventy-four outpatients with HCV infection were primarily enrolled into the study. As controls, 283 individuals who had medical check-ups by ultrasonography without liver disease were also examined. The length and thickness of lymph node were measured. The lymph-node index (LN index) was calculated by multiplying the length and thickness of the lymph node. This index was then compared with serum HCV core antigen (HCV-Ag) levels. According to the level of HCV-Ag, we defined grade I as negative, grade II as minimal, grade III as medium and grade IV as extensive. RESULTS: LN index of 100 mm2 or more was found in 83.3% (50 of 60) of patients with hepatitis C, and LN index less than 100 mm2 in 90.9% (101 of 111) of controls. LN index showed a significant correlation with HCV-Ag level (r=0.436, P<0.05). No significant differences were found between LN index and HCV-Ag grade, but LN index increased in patients with grade IV [mean 160.0 mm2 (SD 50.86)] compared to grade I [57.0 mm2 (SD 98.73)], grade II [95.3 mm2 (SD 65.32)] and grade III [149.7 mm2 (SD 41.09)]. CONCLUSION: Perihepatic lymphadenopathy indicates viraemia, and LN index seems to be useful in estimating whether patients have hepatitis C infection or are healthy.

Assessment of tumor hemodynamics in small hepatocellular carcinoma: comparison of Doppler ultrasonography, angiography-assisted computed tomography, and pathological findings.

AIM: We evaluated the usefulness of Doppler ultrasonography (DUS) for the analysis of tumor hemodynamics in small hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). METHODS: We compared Doppler ultrasound (DUS) findings with angiography-assisted computed tomography (Angio-CT) such as CT during arterial portography and during hepatic arteriography in the evaluation of the intratumoral hemodynamics, and with pathologic findings in 45 small HCC nodules (< or =3.0 cm in diameter) of 43 patients. DUS flow pattern of each nodule was categorized into three types: afferent continuous flow (Type 1), afferent pulsatile flow with afferent continuous flow (Type 2), and afferent pulsatile flow without afferent continuous flow (Type 3). Intratumoral blood supply was determined by Angio-CT, and pathologic findings were evaluated on resected or biopsied specimen. RESULTS: Based on Angio-CT findings, Type 1 nodules showed decreased arterial blood supply (ABS) without decreased portal blood supply (PBS). Type 2 nodules showed unchanged ABS but decreased PBS. Type 3 nodules showed both increased ABS and decreased PBS. DUS findings well represented blood supply of HCC evaluated by Angio-CT. In addition, all Type 1 and 2 nodules were well-differentiated HCC, and all Type 3 nodules were moderately or poorly differentiated HCC; DUS findings well reflected differentiation of HCC. CONCLUSIONS: DUS is a non-invasive imaging method and can be used for the evaluation of the stage of malignancy of small HCC.

Clinical utility of doppler ultrasonography in evaluation of early therapeutic efficacy after transcatheter arterial embolization in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma.

This study was undertaken to determine the value of Doppler ultrasonography in the early evaluation of therapeutic efficacy of hepatocellular carcinoma after transcatheter arterial embolization (TAE). Fifty-two nodules in which tumor vascularity had been detected by Doppler ultrasonography before TAE were examined in 41 patients. Doppler signals were evaluated 1 week after TAE, and the results were compared with tumor vascularity as determined by dynamic magnetic resonance imaging (dynamic MRI), which was used as the gold standard. The sonographic signal disappeared in 41 (79%) of the 52 nodules and remained in 11 (21%). All nodules in which intratumor vascularity had been detected showed positive stain to dynamic MRI. Four of 41 nodules in which the sonographic signal disappeard showed positive stain on dynamic MRI. The Sensitivity of Doppler ultrasonography was 73%; specificity, 100%; and accuracy, 92%. Flow signal in deeply (≥5 cm) located small (<3 cm) nodules tended to be more difficult to detect. We conclude that Doppler ultrasonography warrants use after TAE in the early evaluation as a specific and noninvasive imaging technique.