title: Factors related to shift from hepatic borderline lesion to overt HCC diagnosed by CT.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Factors contributing to the shift from the hepatic borderline lesion to overt hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) were investigated.
  
  
  METHODS
  Ninety-five borderline nodules from 69 patients were followed-up for 6-55 (median 24) months. The borderline lesion was diagnosed when the CT image demonstrated low density in the portal phase and lacked enhancement in the arterial phase.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The shift to overt HCC was seen in 32 nodules from 27 patients. Using multivariate analysis, only size was a significant factor contributing to the shift to overt HCC (p = 0.009). The cumulative incidence of the shift to overt HCC was higher in nodules of ≥13 mm in size than in those of < 13 mm (p = 0.034). Among nodules of ≥13 mm, nodules showing iso density in the arterial phase and low density in the portal phase had a higher cumulative incidence of the shift to overt HCC than those showing low density in the arterial and portal phases on CT (p=0.007).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In hepatic borderline nodules diagnosed by CT, greater size, and iso density in the arterial phase and low density in the portal phase may be risk factors associated with the shift to overt HCC.
authors.forename: Kazuyoshi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ohkawa
authors.forename: Kazuho
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Imanaka
authors.forename: Mitsuru
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sakakibara
authors.forename: Chie
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Tamai
authors.forename: Akio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ishihara
authors.forename: Noriko
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Hasegawa
authors.forename: Natsuko
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Kawada
authors.forename: Takuo
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Yamai
authors.forename: Arata
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sakai
authors.forename: Nobuyasu
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Fukutake
authors.forename: Hiroyuki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Uehara
authors.forename: Katsuyuki
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Nakanishi
authors.forename: Kazuhiro
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Katayama
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D018450:Disease Progression; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D053208:Kaplan-Meier Estimate; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D061330:Multidetector Computed Tomography; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D016016:Proportional Hazards Models; D012307:Risk Factors; D013997:Time Factors; D047368:Tumor Burden