Radiology, Vol 194, 101-105, Copyright © 1995 by Radiological Society of North America
Early hepatocellular carcinoma: appearance at CT during arterial portography and CT arteriography with pathologic correlation
K Takayasu, Y Muramatsu, H Furukawa, F Wakao, N Moriyama, T Takayama, S Yamasaki, M Sakamoto and S Hirohashi
Department of Radiology, National Cancer Center Hospital, Tokyo, Japan.
PURPOSE: To use computed tomography (CT) during arterial portography (CTAP)
and CT arteriography to compare the hemodynamic properties of early
hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) with those of small HCC. MATERIALS AND
METHODS: Forty-four early HCCs (mean diameter, 1.5 cm) in 37 patients (26
men and 11 women aged 52-74 years; mean age, 59.2 years) were studied. CTAP
was performed on 35 early HCCs, CT arteriography on 20, and both studies on
11. CTAP, CT arteriography, or both were performed on 90 small HCCs (mean
diameter, 2.0 cm) in 57 patients (44 men and 13 women aged 48-71 years;
mean age, 61 years). The findings for small HCC were compared with those
for early HCC. RESULTS: CTAP depicted 23 early HCCs as hypoattenuating
masses and 12 as isoattenuating. CT arteriography depicted 11 early HCCs as
hypoattenuating masses, six as isoattenuating, and three as
hyperattenuating. CTAP depicted 85 of 88 small HCCs as hypoattenuating
masses and three as isoattenuating. CT arteriography depicted 13 of 14
small HCCs as hyperattenuating masses. CONCLUSION: CTAP, the standard of
reference for the detection of small HCC, is not sensitive enough for the
detection of early HCC.
