Radiological reasoning: incidentally discovered liver mass.
OBJECTIVE
A 49-year-old woman presented to the emergency department after a fall in which she sustained a right subcapital hip fracture. During her hospital stay she developed abdominal pain, and a hypoechoic liver mass was found on sonography. Multiphase CT showed a hepatic mass with brisk arterial phase enhancement, rapid washout on the portal venous phase, and delayed phase hypodensity. The final pathology diagnosis was hepatocellular carcinoma.


CONCLUSIONS
Incidental lesions are frequently discovered during routine radiographic evaluations. Correlation with clinical history and additional confirmatory imaging is essential for appropriate diagnosis and management.
Bittle
Michelle M
MM
Department of Radiology, University of Washington, Harborview Medical Center, 325 Ninth Ave., Box 359728, Seattle, WA 98104-2499, USA. mbittle@u.washington.edu
Chew
Felix S
FS
D000006:Abdomen, Acute / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000175:diagnosis*; D005260:Female; D006620:Hip Fractures / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D033162:Incidental Findings; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D008875:Middle Aged; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D018615:Ultrasonography, Doppler, Color