title: The value of emergency CT studies in spontaneous rupture of hepatocellular carcinoma. Analysis for tumor protrusion and hemorrhagic ascites.
abstract: CT characteristics of spontaneous rupture of HCC (n = 13) were reviewed retrospectively, and the value of emergency CT studies in this disease was evaluated. Especially, tumor protrusion ratio (TPR) and ascitic CT numbers were measured to for comparison with the data for unruptured HCCs and ordinary (e.g. non hemorrhagic) ascites (n = 13). As a result, except for diffuse type HCCs, the TPR was significantly higher than for the unruptured HCCs. Nine cases had intraperitoneal HDAs, and the laterality of the HDAs corresponded with that of the ruptured tumors in 8 cases. Also, the ascitic CT numbers apart from the HDA were still higher than the ordinary ascites. Therefore, a high TPR, HDAs adjacent to the tumor, and elevated ascitic CT numbers are important CT manifestations indicating HCC rupture. Diffuse HCCs, however, require careful clinical evaluation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Nippon Medical School, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ishihara
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kobayashi
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ichikawa
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Cho
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Gemma
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kumazaki
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001201:Ascites / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology; D004630:Emergencies; D005260:Female; D006470:Hemorrhage / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D006801:Humans; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012422:Rupture, Spontaneous; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed