Focal malignant liver lesions: diagnosis by dynamic incremental CT, early phase

Eur Radiol. 1996;6(4):433-8. doi: 10.1007/BF00182460.

Abstract

The purpose of our study was to evaluate the accuracy of dynamic incremental bolus-enhanced conventional CT (DICT) with intravenous contrast administration, early phase, in the diagnosis of malignancy of focal liver lesions. A total of 122 lesions were selected in 74 patients considering the following criteria: lesion diameter 10 mm or more, number of lesions less than six per study, except in multiple angiomatosis and the existence of a valid criteria of definitive diagnosis. Lesions were categorized into seven levels of diagnostic confidence of malignancy compared with the definitive diagnosis for acquisition of a receiver-operator-characteristic (ROC) curve analysis and to determine the sensitivity and specificity of the technique. Forty-six and 70 lesions were correctly diagnosed as malignant and benign, respectively; there were 2 false-positive and 4 false-negative diagnoses of malignancy and the sensitivity and specificity obtained were 92 and 97%. The DICT early phase was confirmed as a highly accurate method in the characterization and diagnosis of malignancy of focal liver lesions, requiring an optimal technical performance and judicious analysis of existing semiological data.

Publication types

  • Comparative Study

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Aged, 80 and over
  • Angiomatosis / diagnostic imaging
  • Child
  • Child, Preschool
  • Confidence Intervals
  • Contrast Media / administration & dosage
  • Diagnosis, Differential
  • Female
  • Follow-Up Studies
  • Humans
  • Infant
  • Injections, Intravenous
  • Liver Diseases / diagnostic imaging
  • Liver Neoplasms / diagnostic imaging*
  • Liver Neoplasms / pathology
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Prospective Studies
  • ROC Curve
  • Radiographic Image Enhancement / methods
  • Sensitivity and Specificity
  • Tomography, X-Ray Computed / methods*

Substances

  • Contrast Media