Dysplastic nodules of the liver: imaging findings.
BACKGROUND
To verify characteristic features of hepatic dysplastic nodules at different imaging modalities.


METHODS
Twenty-eight patients with 37 dysplastic nodules of the liver (0.8-3.0 cm) underwent sonography (28 patients), computed tomography (CT; 24 patients), magnetic resonance (MR; 11 patients), and angiography (12 patients). Each nodule was analyzed for echogenicity, attenuation, signal intensity, and vascularity.


RESULTS
Echogenicity of nodules was high in 16 (43%), homogeneous in two (6%), and low in 19 (51%) of 37 nodules. Attenuation of nodules was high in one (7%), homogeneous in four (26%), and low in 10 (67%) of 15 nodules on the arterial-phase CT images; homogeneous in five (33%) and low in 10 (67%) of 15 nodules on the portal-phase CT images; and high in four (17%), homogeneous in six (26%), and low in 13 (57%) of 23 nodules on the delayed-phase CT images. Signal intensity of nodules was high in 15 (94%) and homogeneous in one (6%) of 16 nodules on T1-weighted MR images and was homogeneous in seven (44%) and low in nine (56%) of 16 nodules on T2-weighted MR images. Vascularity of nodules was avascular in 14 (88%) and slightly vascular in two (12%) of 16 nodules.


CONCLUSIONS
Hepatic dysplastic nodules show diverse imaging characteristics with different imaging techniques; however, common imaging findings of hepatic dysplastic nodules are low echo, low attenuation, and high, low, or homogeneous intensity on T1- and T2-weighted MR, and avascularity.
Choi
B I
BI
Department of Radiology, Seoul National University Hospital, 28, Yongon-Dong, Chongno-Gu, Seoul 110-744, Korea.
Han
J K
JK
Hong
S H
SH
Kim
T K
TK
Song
C S
CS
Kim
K W
KW
Kim
M J
MJ
Han
M C
MC
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008107:Liver Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D014463:Ultrasonography