Difference of Contrast Enhancement Characteristics of Hepatic Hemangiomas According to the Lesion Size onTwo-Phase Spiral CT

Koh, Sung Hye; Yoon, Suk Kwon; Yang, Dal Mo; Yoon, Myung Hwan; Kim, Hak Soo; Kim, Hyung Sik; Chung, Jin Woo

Abstract

PURPOSE: To determine the different of enhancement patterns of hepatic hemangioma according to the lesionsize, using dual-phase spiral CT.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
Fify-nine lesions in 45 patients with hepatichemangiomas were subjected to spiral Ct. According to size, the lesions were divided into two groups(< 2.5cm :n=34 ; >_2.5cm : n=25). The enhancement patterns of the lesions were classified as one of four types (homogeneoushyperdense, peripheral hyperdense, central hyperdense, or hypodense) during the early phase, and as one of fivetypes homogeneous hyperdense, peripheral hyperdense, central hyperdense, hypodense or isodense) during the delayedphase. We evaluated differences in enhancement patterns during the early and delayed phase according to lesionsize.
RESULTS
During the early phase, the enhancement patterns of lesions large than 2.5cm were peripheralhyperdense(96%) or homogeneous hyperdense (4%);those of less than 2.5cm were peripheral hyperdense (53%),homogeneous hyperdense(26%), hypodense(18%), or central hyperdense(3%). Thus, hemangiomas in these two groupsusually showed a peripheral enhancement pattern during the early phase, but in those which were smaller than2.5cm, atypical enhancement patterns were more common. During the delayed phase, the enhancement patterns oflesions larger than 2.5cm were peripheral hyperdense (60%) or homogenous hyperdense (40%), while the patterns ofthose smaller than 2.5cm were homogeneous hyperdense (67%), peripheral hyperdense (24%), central hyperdense (3%),hypodense (3%), or isodense (3%). Thus, the enhancement patterns of lesions larger than 2.5cm were usuallyperipherally hyperdense during the delayed phase, while those smaller than 2.5cm showed a homogeneous enhancementpattern.
CONCLUSION
The enhancement patterns of hepatic hemangiomas differ according to lesion size. A knowledgeof these differences is helpful in the diagnosis of hepatic hemangioma.