Small hepatocellular carcinomas in chronic liver disease: detection with SPECT.
Single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) performed using a rotating gamma camera was compared with alpha 1-fetoprotein (AFP) assay, conventional liver scintigraphy, ultrasound (US) imaging, computed tomography (CT), and selective celiac angiography in 40 patients with a total of 50 small hepatocellular carcinomas (HCCs; less than 5 cm). The detection rates of US and CT were determined on an initial screening study and on a second, more precisely focused study. The detection rate of small HCCs by the various modalities was as follows: AFP, 13%; liver scintigraphy, 36%; SPECT, 72%; initial screening US, 80%; second, more precise US studies, 94%; initial screening CT, 64%; second, more precise CT study, 82%; angiography, 88%. Although SPECT was inferior to the initial screening US examination in detecting HCCs less than 2 cm in size, its sensitivity was identical to that of the initial screening US study for detecting HCCs of 2-5 cm. The combination of SPECT and US was an excellent method for the early detection of HCCs, yielding a detection rate of 94%.
M
M
Kudo
M
M
Hirasa
H
H
Takakuwa
Y
Y
Ibuki
K
K
Fujimi
M
M
Miyamura
S
S
Tomita
H
H
Komori
A
A
Todo
Y
Y
Kitaura
D000368:Aged; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology; D002908:Chronic Disease; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008107:Liver Diseases / Q000150:complications*; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D014055:Tomography, Emission-Computed; D014463:Ultrasonography; D000509:alpha-Fetoproteins / Q000032:analysis
D000509:alpha-Fetoproteins