[Evaluation of Doppler sonographic criteria for the differentiation of hepatocellular carcinomas and regenerative nodules in patients with liver cirrhosis].
OBJECTIVE
In order to improve the differentiation between hepatocellular carcinomas and regenerative nodules in patients with liver cirrhosis, Doppler-sonographic criteria for the tumours were evaluated.


METHODS
Patients with histologically proven hepatocellular carcinoma (n = 35) and regenerative nodules (n = 10) were investigated by B-mode sonography as well as fundamental and echo-enhanced power-Doppler sonography focusing on specific properties of the tumours. The results were correlated to the histological findings.


RESULTS
Hepatocellular carcinomas and regenerative nodules showed a different contrast behaviour with echo-enhanced power-Doppler sonography. The following features of hepatocellular carcinomas were frequently found: peritumoural signal detection in the early arterial phase, chaotic and centripetal contrast enhancement in the arterial phase, hypervascularization in the capillary phase, and loss of portalvenous blood flow.


CONCLUSIONS
Hepatocellular carcinomas and regenerative nodules display different vascularization patterns in the echo-enhanced power-Doppler sonography. These characteristics can be useful for their differential diagnosis.
Rickes
S
S
Medizinische Klinik mit Schwerpunkt Gastroenterologie, Hepatologie und Endokrinologie des Universitätsklinikums Charité (Campus Mitte) der Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Germany. steffan.rickes@charite.de
Ocran
K
K
Schulze
S
S
Wermke
W
W
D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D006801:Humans; D008103:Liver Cirrhosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D018608:Ultrasonography, Doppler