CT of retroperitoneal extension of hepatoma mimicking adrenal tumor.
OBJECTIVE
The anatomy of the superior aspect of the renal fascia is still controversial. We recently saw three cases of hepatoma extension into perirenal space and believed the bare area of the liver communicated with the perirenal space.


METHODS
We reviewed the CT of the three cases of hepatoma with retroperitoneal extension. One was pedunculated and the others were exophytic.


RESULTS
One pedunculated hepatoma was operated upon while we were under the impression that it was an adrenal carcinoma. The others were initially mistaken for a metastatic or primary adrenal carcinoma.


CONCLUSIONS
The bare area of the liver opens widely into the superior aspect of the perirenal space and permits easy extension of pedunculated or exophytic masses of the liver arising in this location, mimicking and adrenal mass.
Department of Radiology, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Youngdong Severance Hospital, Korea.
K W
KW
Kim
Y H
YH
Auh
H S
HS
Chi
S I
SI
Lee
D000310:Adrenal Gland Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D000368:Aged; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D006801:Humans; D008099:Liver / Q000473:pathology; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012187:Retroperitoneal Space; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed