title: [Benign focal liver lesions detected by computed tomography: Review of 1,184 examinations].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Multidetector computed tomography (MDCT) of the abdomen, with use of contrast medium, is able to detect and differentiate most focal liver lesions.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To determine the prevalence and features of benign focal liver lesions (BFLL) detected by abdominal MDCT.
  
  
  METHODS
  We reviewed the reports of contrast abdominal MDCT performed to outpatients between August 2011 and July 2012. Clinical data of examined patients and imaging findings in terms of description of the hepatic parenchyma and the presence of BFLL, were recorded.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Data from 1,184 studies were analyzed. Of these, 461 studies (38.4%) reported BFLL. The most prevalent lesions were simple cysts in 290 studies (24%) and hemangiomas in 61 studies (5.1%), granuloma-calcification in 39 (3.2%), focal nodular hyperplasia in 19 (1.6%) and one adenoma. If patients with known causes of liver disease were excluded, the prevalence of BFLL did not change substantially (lesions were found in 396 (37.5%) patients). Compared with livers with signs of damage, normal livers had more cystic lesions (27 and 16.2% respectively, p = 0.014) and hemangiomas (5.3 and 1.1% respectively, p = 0.043).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  BFLL are very common findings in MDCT studies. Most of these lesions are simple cysts and hemangiomas.
authors: Gloria
authors: G
authors: Horta
authors: Marcelo
authors: M
authors: López
authors: Andrés
authors: A
authors: Dotte
authors: Jorge
authors: J
authors: Cordero
authors: Caterina
authors: C
authors: Chesta
authors: Ariel
authors: A
authors: Castro
authors: Patricio
authors: P
authors: Palavecino
authors: Jaime
authors: J
authors: Poniachik
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002677:Chile / Q000453:epidemiology; D003287:Contrast Media; D003560:Cysts / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D005260:Female; D006099:Granuloma / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D006391:Hemangioma / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D006801:Humans; D008107:Liver Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000453:epidemiology; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D061330:Multidetector Computed Tomography; D015995:Prevalence; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D017678:Sex Distribution; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D003287:Contrast Media