Imaging of cholangiolocellular carcinoma of the liver.
OBJECTIVE
Cholangiolocellular carcinoma (CoCC) is currently considered to originate from hepatic progenitor cells. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the imaging features of cholangiolocellular carcinoma of the liver.


METHODS
Five cases of surgically resected cases of CoCC from 4 institutions were retrospectively evaluated. All of the five patients underwent contrast-enhanced dynamic CT. MRI and angio-CT including CT during arterioportography (CTAP) and CT during hepatic arteriography were performed in 3 and 2 patients, respectively. Histological evaluation was also performed and was correlated with radiographic findings.


RESULTS
On dynamic CT or MRI, the lesions presented hypervascular tumors with delayed washout in 2 cases and in the other 3 cases, the lesions showed peripheral enhancement with concentric delayed filling. On CTAP, the continued existence of portal veins or tiny spots of portal flow was identified in the tumors. Fibrous capsule or tumor necrosis was not observed.


CONCLUSIONS
CoCC tumors have the dual imaging characteristics of hepatocellular carcinoma and cholangiocarcinoma. The absence of a fibrous capsule, the absence of tumor necrosis, peripheral location within the liver, and the presence of portal venous penetration within the tumor also appear to be characteristic features.
Department of Clinical Radiology, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kyushu University, 3-1-1 Maidashi, Higashi-ku, Fukuoka 812-8582, Japan. asayama@radiol.med.kyushu-u.ac.jp
Yoshiki
Y
Asayama
Tsuyoshi
T
Tajima
Daisuke
D
Okamoto
Akihiro
A
Nishie
Kousei
K
Ishigami
Yasuhiro
Y
Ushijima
Daisuke
D
Kakihara
Shinichi
S
Aishima
Akinobu
A
Taketomi
Hiroshi
H
Honda
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000792:Angiography / Q000379:methods; D018281:Cholangiocarcinoma / Q000098:blood supply / Q000175:diagnosis*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000098:blood supply / Q000175:diagnosis*; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009389:Neovascularization, Pathologic / Q000175:diagnosis*; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000379:methods*