Dysplastic nodules and hepatocellular carcinoma: sensitivity of digital subtraction hepatic arteriography with whole liver explant correlation.
OBJECTIVE
The purpose of this work was to determine the sensitivity of hepatic digital subtraction arteriography (DSA) for the detection of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and dysplastic nodules (DNs) when compared with pathological findings from whole liver explants.


METHODS
Twenty-one patients 30-72 years old (mean 54 years) with cirrhosis and known or clinically suspected HCC (20 prior to chemoembolization) underwent hepatic DSA with subsequent transplantation within 80 days (mean 32 days). The prospective DSA report was compared with pathologic findings from explanted livers.


RESULTS
Overall, DSA detected 31 of 95 HCC lesions for a sensitivity of 33%. Of these 31 lesions, 28 were hypervascular and 3 were hypovascular. DSA detected all six HCCs measuring >5 cm, all six HCCs measuring 3-5 cm, and all five HCCs 2-3 cm, resulting in a sensitivity of 100% (17/17) for HCC >2 cm. DSA detected 7 of 18 HCCs measuring 1-2 cm (sensitivity 39%) and 7 of 60 HCCs < or =1 cm (sensitivity 12%). Overall sensitivity for DSA in detection of HCC < or =2 cm was 18% (14/78 lesions). None of 17 DNs (0.2-1.5 cm in size) was identified on DSA.


CONCLUSIONS
DSA is insensitive to small HCC (< or =2 cm), carcinomatosis arising within nodules, and DN.
Krinsky
G A
GA
Department of Radiology and Kaplan Comprehensive Cancer Center, New York University Medical Center, NY 10016, USA.
Nguyen
M T
MT
Lee
V S
VS
Rosen
R J
RJ
Goldenberg
A
A
Theise
N D
ND
Morgan
G
G
Rofsky
N M
NM
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D015901:Angiography, Digital Subtraction / Q000379:methods*; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000175:diagnosis*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008107:Liver Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis*; D016031:Liver Transplantation; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity