Hepatocellular carcinoma: comparative study among precontrast, artery-dominant, and delayed-contrast phase images at ultrafast CT.
To evaluate the detectability of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) at artery-dominant phase and to compare it with that at precontrast and delayed-contrast phases, 34 patients with 109 HCCs were examined by ultrafast computed tomography (CT) using an incremental dynamic technique under single breath-holding. Images of three phases (precontrast, artery-dominant, and delayed) were compared with iodized-oil CT images. None of the lesions were detected only at precontrast phase. HCC detectability at the artery-dominant phase (87/109, 80%) was significantly superior to that at precontrast phase (32/109, 29%) (p < .01) and delayed-contrast phase (57/109, 52%) (p < .01). All 31 lesions missed at delayed-contrast phase were depicted at artery-dominant phase, while one lesion observed at delayed-contrast phase was missed at artery-dominant phase. Incremental dynamic CT at artery-dominant phase was suitable for the diagnosis of HCCs. Precontrast phase images were not necessary, although delayed-phase images were useful for the evaluation of tumor extension in some cases.
Tobe
K
K
Department of Radiology, Institute of Medical Science, University of Tokyo, Japan.
Oyama
K
K
Minami
M
M
Amou
K
K
Yoshida
H
H
Kawaguchi
N
N
Araki
T
T
Sasaki
Y
Y
D000368:Aged; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D006801:Humans; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D008875:Middle Aged; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000379:methods*