title: Malignant focal hepatic lesions complicating underlying liver disease: dual-phase contrast-enhanced spiral CT sensitivity and specificity in orthotopic liver transplant patients.
abstract: The aim of this study was to determine the accuracy of contrast-enhanced biphasic spiral CT as a screening tool in the preoperative evaluation of orthotopic liver transplant (OLT) patients. Spiral-CT examinations were performed before liver transplantation in 53 patients. Scans were retrospectively reviewed and compared with pathologic findings in fresh-sectioned livers. When findings between spiral CT and pathology were discordant, formalized livers were reexamined with lesion-by lesion evaluation. Fresh pathologic evaluation revealed 23 liver lesions (16 HCC, 7 macro-regenerative nodules). Malignancy was identified in 13 of 53 patients (24.5%). Pre-transplantation spiral CT depicted 27 liver lesions (23 HCC, 4 macro-regenerative nodules). Malignancy was suspected in 14 patients (26.4%). In 10 of 53 (18.9%), spiral CT and pathologic evaluation were discordant. Subsequent retrospective pathologic evaluation showed malignancy in 4 additional patients. Spiral CT compared with the retrospective pathologic findings revealed 36 real-negative, 14 real-positive, 0 false-positive, and 3 false-negative patients with malignancy. Sensitivity and specificity of spiral CT in detection of malignancy was 82 and 100%, respectively. Contrast-enhanced biphasic spiral CT is an accurate technique in the evaluation of patients preceding OLT. Routine fresh-sectioned liver pathologic findings are not as sensitive as previously estimated.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, University Hospital Gent, Gent, Belgium. kmortele@partners.org
authors.forename: K J
authors.initials: KJ
authors.lastname: Mortelé
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: De Keukeleire
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Praet
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Van Vlierberghe
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: de Hemptinne
authors.forename: P R
authors.initials: PR
authors.lastname: Ros
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D006498:Hepatectomy; D006801:Humans; D007089:Image Enhancement; D008099:Liver / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology; D008103:Liver Cirrhosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology; D016031:Liver Transplantation; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed