title: Hepatic nodules in Budd-Chiari syndrome: imaging features.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To analyze the imaging features of nodules associated with Budd-Chiari syndrome.
  
  
  METHODS
  The authors retrospectively studied images obtained in 23 patients with liver nodules who were being followed up for Budd-Chiari syndrome. Doppler ultrasonography was performed in all patients, computed tomography in 16, and magnetic resonance (MR) imaging in 20. The following lesion features were evaluated: location, number, size, vascularization, qualitative signal intensity at MR imaging, and homogeneity. Nodules were diagnosed on the basis of histopathologic findings or clinical and biologic data with no change at imaging during 2-year follow-up.
  
  
  RESULTS
  All patients had histopathologic features of chronic Budd-Chiari syndrome. Four patients had hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), with one to three lesions. The mean diameter of the largest HCC lesion in each patient was 7.3 cm. All HCC lesions were heterogeneous and had high signal intensity on T2-weighted MR images. Nineteen patients had multiple benign regenerative nodules, most of which were smaller than 4 cm. Most nodules were homogeneous and hyperintense on T1- and T2-weighted images. In 15 patients, nodules were hypervascular in the arterial phase.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In patients with chronic Budd-Chiari syndrome, multiple (> 10) small (< 4-cm) lesions are suggestive of benignity.
authors: Department of Radiology, Hôpital Beaujon, Clichy, France.
authors: V
authors: V
authors: Vilgrain
authors: M
authors: M
authors: Lewin
authors: C
authors: C
authors: Vons
authors: A
authors: A
authors: Denys
authors: D
authors: D
authors: Valla
authors: J F
authors: JF
authors: Flejou
authors: J
authors: J
authors: Belghiti
authors: Y
authors: Y
authors: Menu
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D006502:Budd-Chiari Syndrome / Q000175:diagnosis*; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000175:diagnosis*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008099:Liver / Q000473:pathology; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis*; D008115:Liver Regeneration; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D018608:Ultrasonography, Doppler