Hepatic adenomas: comprehensive imaging diagnosis / 中华放射学杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective To describe the US, CT, and MR imaging findings and diagnosis of hepatic adenomas. Methods The comprehensive imaging features in 6 patients with 6 hepatic adenomas confirmed pathologically were reviewed retrospectively and correlated with pathologic findings. Results One case was diagnosed correctly, four cases were mistaken for hepatocellular carcinomas (HCC), and one case was mistaken for focal nodular hyperplasia. US six lesions were hypoechoic with hypohalo in four lesions, and there was low velocity arterial and venous flow within the six lesions. CT six lesions were hypodense with pseudocapsule in four lesions, and the four lesions showed slight enhancement during arterial and portal venous phases, and one lesion showed moderate enhancement during arterial phase and slight enhancement during portal venous phase. MRI six lesions had heterogeneously high signal intensity on T 1WI and T 2WI, and the high intensity on T 1WI remained unchanged after using fat saturation. Two lesions showed strong enhancement during arterial phase and slight enhancement during portal venous and delayed phases, and three lesions showed slight enhancement during arterial, portal venous, and delayed phases. Pseudocapsule detected in six lesions showed slight enhancement on portal venous or delayed phases. Conclusion The comprehensive imaging findings of hepatic adenomas were nonspecific. The presence of pseudocapsule, heterogeneous high signal intensity on T 1WI, and the high intensity remained unchanged after using fat saturation may help make a correct diagnosis of hepatic adenoma.