Diagnostic sensitivity of imaging modalities for hepatocellular carcinoma smaller than 2 cm.
OBJECTIVE
To compare the imaging results with histology and to evaluate the diagnostic sensitivity of imaging modalities for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) smaller than 2 cm.


METHODS
Nodules smaller than 2 cm (n = 34) revealed by ultrasonography (US) in 29 patients with liver cirrhosis were analyzed. Histological diagnosis of HCC was performed by ultrasonographic guidance: moderately-differentiated HCC (n = 24); well-differentiated HCC (n = 10). The patterns disclosed by the four imaging modalities defined the conclusive diagnosis of HCC: (1) contrast-enhanced computed tomography (CECT), hypervascularity in the arterial phase and washout in the equilibrium phase; (2) Sonazoid contrast-enhanced US (CEUS), hypervascularity in the early vascular phase and defect in the Kupffer phase; (3) gadolinium-ethoxybenzyl-diethylenetriamine pentaacetic acid (Gd-EOB-DTPA)-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), hypervascularity in the arterial phase and/or defect in the hepatobiliary phase; and (4) CT arterioportal angiography: hypervascularity by CT during arteriography and/or perfusion defect by CT during arterial portography.


RESULTS
Overall, the sensitivity of diagnosing HCC smaller than 2 cm was 52.9% (18/34) (95% CI: 35.1-70.2) by CECT; 67.6% (23/34) (95% CI: 49.5-82.6) by Sonazoid CEUS; 76.5% (26/34) (95% CI: 58.8-89.3) by Gd-EOB-DTPA MRI; and 88.2% (30/34) (95% CI: 72.5-96.7) by CT arterioportal angiography. The diagnostic sensitivity of detecting moderately-differentiated HCC by CECT, Sonazoid CEUS, Gd-EOB-DTPA MRI and CT arterioportal angiography was 62.5% (15/24) (95% CI: 40.6-81.2), 79.2% (19/24) (95% CI: 57.8-92.9), 75.0% (18/24) (95% CI: 53.3-90.2) and 95.8% (23/24) (95% CI: 78.9-99.9), respectively. A significant difference (P < 0.05) was observed between CECT and CT arterioportal angiography in all nodules. There was no difference between Sonazoid CEUS, Gd-EOB-DTPA MRI, and CT arterioportal angiography. The combined sensitivity of Sonazoid CEUS and Gd-EOB-DTPA MRI was 94.1% (32/34).


CONCLUSIONS
Changing the main diagnostic modality for HCC smaller than 2 cm from CT arterioportal angiography to Sonazoid CEUS and Gd-EOB-DTPA MRI is recommended.
Mita
Keiji
K
Department of Gastroenterology, Kobe Asahi Hospital, 3-5-25 Bououji-cho, Nagata-ku, Kobe 653-0801, Japan.
Kim
Soo Ryang
SR
Kudo
Masatoshi
M
Imoto
Susumu
S
Nakajima
Taisuke
T
Ando
Kenji
K
Fukuda
Katsumi
K
Matsuoka
Toshiyuki
T
Maekawa
Yoko
Y
Hayashi
Yoshitake
Y
D000368:Aged; D000792:Angiography / Q000379:methods; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods; D008297:Male; D011172:Portography / Q000379:methods; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000379:methods; D014463:Ultrasonography / Q000379:methods
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