Hepatic cavernous hemangioma in cirrhotic liver: imaging findings.
OBJECTIVE
To document the imaging findings of hepatic cavernous hemangioma detected in cirrhotic liver.


METHODS
The imaging findings of 14 hepatic cavernous hemangiomas in ten patients with liver cirrhosis were retrospectively analyzed. A diagnosis of hepatic cavernous hemangioma was based on the findings of two or more of the following imaging studies: MR, including contrast-enhanced dynamic imaging (n = 10), dynamic CT (n = 4), hepatic arteriography (n = 9), and US (n = 10).


RESULTS
The mean size of the 14 hepatic hemangiomas was 0.9 (range, 0.5-1.5) cm in the longest dimension. In 11 of these (79%), contrast-enhanced dynamic CT and MR imaging showed rapid contrast enhancement of the entire lesion during the early phase, and hepatic arteriography revealed globular enhancement and rapid filling-in. On contrast-enhanced MR images, three lesions (21%) showed partial enhancement until the 5-min delayed phases. US indicated that while three slowly enhancing lesions were homogeneously hyperechoic, 9 (82%) of 11 showing rapid enhancement were not delineated.


CONCLUSIONS
The majority of hepatic cavernous hemangiomas detected in cirrhotic liver are small in size, and in many, hepatic arteriography and/or contrast-enhanced dynamic CT and MR imaging demonstrates rapid enhancement. US, however, fails to distinguish a lesion of this kind from its cirrhotic background.
Yu
J S
JS
Department of Diagnostic Radiology, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea. yjsrad97@yumc.yonsei.ac.kr
Kim
K W
KW
Park
M S
MS
Yoon
S W
SW
D003952:Diagnostic Imaging; D005260:Female; D006392:Hemangioma, Cavernous / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis*; D006801:Humans; D008103:Liver Cirrhosis / Q000150:complications*; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis*; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed