Well-differentiated hepatocellular carcinoma: findings of US, CT, and MR imaging.
BACKGROUND
To elucidate the imaging characteristics of well-differentiated hepatocellular carcinomas (HCCs) on ultrasonography (US), computed tomography (CT), and magnetic resonance (MR) imaging.


METHODS
Ultrasonograms, CTs, and MR images of 18 histopathologically proven well-differentiated HCCs in 15 patients were reviewed. The findings of these images were correlated with histopathologic findings.


RESULTS
On US, seven tumors were depicted as a hyperechoic area and eight as a hypoechoic area. Three tumors were not visualized. On precontrast CT, four tumors were depicted as a low-density area, but 14 were not visualized. On conventional contrast-enhanced CT, 12 tumors were depicted as a low-density area but six were not visualized. On T1-weighted MR images, 10 tumors had high signal intensity and two had low signal intensity. Six tumors were not visualized. On T2-weighted MR images, five tumors had high signal intensity and two had low signal intensity. Eleven tumors were not visualized. Tumors with fatty change and/or clear cell formation were frequently hyperechoic on US and hyperintense on T1-weighted MR images.


CONCLUSIONS
Well-differentiated HCCs show different findings on US, CT, and MR imaging. Therefore, reliable diagnosis of well-differentiated HCCs by these imaging techniques may be difficult.
Monzawa
S
S
Department of Radiology, Yamanashi Hospital, Asahi 3-8-31 Kofu, Yamanashi 400-0025, Japan,
Omata
K
K
Shimazu
N
N
Yagawa
A
A
Hosoda
K
K
Araki
T
T
D000368:Aged; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; 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