Objective To investigate the imaging features of idiopathic hepatic arteriovenous malformation（IHAVM） on multi-detector row spiral CT (MDCT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Methods Nineteen patients with IHAVM between January 2009 and June 2010 were included for retrospective analysis of the imaging findings on MDCT (n=9) and MRI (n=10), especially the imaging features of IHAVM on contrast-enhanced dynamic scans. Results All IHAVM lesions in 9 patients were isodense in plain scan of MDCT, and showed marked small nodular or linear enhancement with similar intensity to vascular enhancement in arterial phase, and the enhancement continued to persist to portal phase but with reduced enhancement degree. Early visualization of venous tributaries in arterial phase was present in 4 cases, and wedge-shaped or lamellar transient hepatic parenchyma enhancement in arterial phase in the edge of the lesion was observed in 6 cases. In 10 patients with MRI scan, the enhancement patterns of IHAVM were quite similar to the findings on MDCT, with early visualization of venous tributaries in arterial phase in 5 cases and wedge-shaped transient hepatic parenchyma enhancement in arterial phase in the edge of the IHAVM lesion in 7 cases. Conclusion Contrast-enhanced multi-phase MDCT and MRI scans can depict the morphologic and hemodynamic characteristics of IHAVM, thus they are very valuable for the diagnosis of IHAVM.
Objective To investigate the imaging features of Budd-Chiari syndrome (BCS) on 64 slice spiral computed tomography (64SCT) and the diagnostic value of 64SCT for BCS. Methods Twenty-nine patients diagnosed as BCS by 64SCT were retrospectively included into this study and all the patients were researched by digital substraction angiography (DSA). Two abdominal radiologists analyzed the CT imaging features of BCS, paying attention to the vascular lesion, the morphology abnormality of the liver and the degree of portal hypertension, with review of DSA findings. Results ①The accuracy of 64SCT for BCS was 93.1% (27/29), and there were 2 false positive cases and no false negative case. The accuracy of 64SCT for those patients with thrombosis of inferior vena cava (IVC) and (or) hepatic vein (HV) was high as compared to those with stenosis of IVC and (or) HV. ②The morphology abnormality of the liver included hepatomegaly (24 cases), low attenuation (27 cases) and inhomogeneous pattern of parenchymal contrast enhancement (5 patients in arterial phase and 19 patients in portal vein phase). ③The images of all the patients showed the features of portal hypertension. Conclusion The accuracy of 64SCT for BCS is satisfactory and the false negative is seldom. The 64SCT could accurately display the morphology abnormality of the liver and the compensatory circulation in BCS patients. For those patients with stenosis of IVC and (or) HV, however, the diagnostic power of 64SCT is limited.
ObjectiveTo investigate the feasibility of proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy (1H-MRS) imaging, by which to quantitatively analyze liver fat content for therapeutic evaluation of fatty liver at 3.0 T MRI. MethodsTwenty-six patients who diagnosed with fatty liver were examined with proton MRS at Siemens Trio Tim 3.0 T MRI before treatment and 3, 6 months after treatment, respectively. The water peak, fat peak, water peak area, and fat peak area were detected, and the relative lipid content 1 (RLC1) and relative lipid content 2 (RLC2)were calculated. Fatty liver index (FLI) was referred to the standard which was calculated from triglycerides (TG), gammaglutamyl-transferase (GGT), waist circumference, and body mass index. ResultsThere were significantly different differences of RLC1 and RLC2 among before treatment and 3, 6 months after treatment (Plt;0.05). Compared with before treatment, the RLC1 and RLC2 values significantly decreased on month 3 or 6 after treatment (Plt;0.05). There were positive correlation between RLC1 or RLC2 and FLI (r=0.476, Plt;0.00; r=0.475, Plt;0.001). The intraclass correlation coefficient was more than 0.75 before treatment, the repeatability was better. ConclusionsProton MRS can quantitatively measure liver fat content. It can be reliably used for dynamic monitoring the therapeutic effects for fatty liver. Proton MRS is accurate, and has a good clinical application in dynamically monitoring the progression of fatty liver and evaluating the therapeutic effects of various treatments.
ObjectiveTo investigate the imaging findings of carcinoma of body and tail of the pancreas. MethodsTotally twentythree patients with carcinoma of body and tail of the pancreas were studied. The diagnosis was proven by surgery and pathological findings. The imaging features of twentythree cases were reviewed including the location, size, shape, texture, and enhancement patterns of the tumor masses. Five cases underwent enhanced MRI examination, 18 cases underwent enhanced spiral CT examination. ResultsThe tumors located in the pancreatic body in 5 cases, located in the tail in 7 cases, and located in the body and tail of pancreas in 11 cases. The tumor masses were irregular in shape and heterogeneously hypointense from CT scan. From MR, the masses were slightly hypointense on T1WI, and slightly or mixed hyperintense on T2WI. Nineteen cases showed heterogeneous slight enhancement and four cases had no enhancement. The tumors were well demarcated in five cases, while those were poorly defined in the other 18 cases. Metastatic lymphadenopathy was shown in 16 cases, vascular invasion in 8 cases, and metastatic lesions of other organs in 3 cases. ConclusionThe carcinoma of body and tail of the pancreas shows certain characteristic imaging. CT and MRI examination can reflect the morphologic features, the hemodynamic alterations, and the involvement of adjacent structures and organs.