Duplex Doppler sonography of small (<3 cm diameter) liver tumours: intralesional arterial flow does not exclude cavernous haemangioma.
In small liver lesions (<3 cm diameter), detection of internal arterial flow with duplex Doppler sonography is thought to virtually exclude the diagnosis of cavernous haemangioma. We retrospectively reviewed 114 consecutive small lesions confirmed or suspected to be haemangiomas. Doppler sonography revealed intralesional arterial flow in four lesions for which correlative imaging studies were diagnostic of haemangioma, and for which stability was documented with follow-up sonography. We conclude that intralesional arterial flow should not be interpreted as conclusive evidence that a small liver lesion is not a haemangioma. If the presence of arterial flow within a small liver lesion prompts concern that the lesion is not a haemangioma, our findings suggest that a correlative imaging study should be considered before percutaneous biopsy is performed.
Department of Radiology, University Hospital & New Jersey Medical School, Newark 07103-2406, USA.
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RH
Wachsberg
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Jilani
D000328:Adult; D001158:Arteries / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006392:Hemangioma, Cavernous / Q000098:blood supply / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D006801:Humans; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000098:blood supply / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009389:Neovascularization, Pathologic / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D018616:Ultrasonography, Doppler, Duplex