title: Complications of Hydatid Cysts of the Liver: Spiral Computed Tomography Findings.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The purpose of this retrospective study is to evaluate the role of Spiral Computed Tomography (CT) in the detection of the complications of hepatic hydatid cysts.
  
  
  METHODS
  During a period of 8 years and after establishing the diagnosis of numerous hydatid cysts, 7 patients with complications of hydatid cysts were found. These 7 patients (5 females, 2 males, mean age 74.2 years, range 63 - 92 years) were studied. Four of them had a known medical history of hydatid disease, while all of them presented to our department as emergency cases.
  
  
  RESULTS
  They underwent Spiral CT which revealed the following complications of hydatid cysts: intrabiliary rupture in 2 patients, rupture into the peritoneal cavity resulting to peritonitis in 1 patient, contained rupture and secondary transdiaphragmatic thoracic rupture in 1 patient, rupture into both biliary tract and hepatic subcapsular space in 1 patient, rupture into the subcapsular hepatic space in 1 patient and secondary bacterial infection of the cyst resulting to abscess formation in 1 patient. All of these CT findings were surgically confirmed.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  CT provided a rapid and accurate diagnosis in all of these cases and proved to be a very useful preoperative imaging method.
authors: Clinic Department: 1st Surgical Dept. Sismanoglion General Hospital, Athens, Greece.
authors: Konstantinos
authors: K
authors: Alexiou
authors: Clinic Department: 1st Surgical Dept. Sismanoglion General Hospital, Athens, Greece.
authors: Sofoklis
authors: S
authors: Mitsos
authors: Clinic Department: 1st Surgical Dept. Sismanoglion General Hospital, Athens, Greece.
authors: Athanasios
authors: A
authors: Fotopoulos
authors: Clinic Department: 1st Surgical Dept. Sismanoglion General Hospital, Athens, Greece.
authors: Ioannis
authors: I
authors: Karanikas
authors: Computed Tomography Unit of 1st IKA Hospital, Sismanoglion General Hospital, Greece.
authors: Kiriaki
authors: K
authors: Tavernaraki
authors: Computed Tomography Unit of 1st IKA Hospital, Sismanoglion General Hospital, Greece.
authors: Fotis
authors: F
authors: Konstantinidis
authors: Computed Tomography Unit of 1st IKA Hospital, Sismanoglion General Hospital, Greece.
authors: Peter
authors: P
authors: Antonopoulos
authors: Clinic Department: 1st Surgical Dept. Sismanoglion General Hospital, Athens, Greece.
authors: Nikolaos
authors: N
authors: Ekonomou
keywords: Complications; Computed tomography; Hydatid cyst; Rupture