LIVER METASTASIS IMAGING
Corina Ursulescu (1), C. Lupaşcu (2)
(1) Clinica Radiologică, (2) Clinica I Chirurgie
Spitalul „Sf. Spiridon” Iaşi
Universitatea de Medicină şi Farmacie „Gr.T. Popa” Iaşi
Jurnalul de chirurgie 2008; 4 (3):194-200
Full text: Format PDF (Română/Romanian)

Abstract:

Imaging liver metastasis is complex and aims: detection of focal liver lesions, morphological and functional assessment, evaluation of resectability (segmental anatomy, size and number of metastasis, relationship with vascular structures and diaphragm), volumetric studies of metastasis (for follow-up studies) and liver remnant after surgery, guiding percutaneous or laparoscopic treatment (thermal ablation, ethanol injection, injection of monoclonal antibodies or chemotherapy with nanoparticles). Ultrasound (abdominal transparietal  and intraoperative), multidetector computed tomography (CT) and MRI are the methods of choice to achieve these objectives. For each method, specific intravascular contrast media injection improves the accuracy. The latest method, PET-CT, is used to identify metabolic active tumoral tissue, especially for recurrence diagnosis and for guiding biopsies and local treatments. Techniques, typical features of hypo- and hypervascular metastasis in native and postcontrast examination, sensitivity and specificity for each method are discussed, as well as their place in the diagnostic algorithm.

KEY WORDS: LIVER METASTASIS, ULTRASOUND, COMPUTED TOMOGRAPHY, MRI, PET-CT

Correspondence to: Corina Ursulescu, MD, PhD; Clinic of Radiology, „St. Spiridon” Hospital Iaşi, Independenţei street, No. 1, 700111; e-mail: