Characterization of Incidental Liver Lesions: Comparison of Multidetector CT versus Ultrasonography

Abstract

Background: Due to recent advancements in imaging techniques, as well as the widespread use of routine medical exams and screenings, incidental LL are now more frequently discovered by US. Physicians must decide whether to simply follow up when incidental LL are discovered in the US or to order additional imaging tests for lesion classification. The goal of our study was to identify LL using MDCT and US. Methods and Results: A total of 50 participants were selected from a variety of male and female patients with abdominal pain and suspected liver diseases, and received a CT triphasic scan and US at the Royal Care International Hospital, Ibn Alhaitham Diagnostic Center, Alfaisal Specialized Hospital, and the Department of Diagnostic Radiology in the CT department of Sudan from April 2018 to May 2020. The results of the ultrasound scanning (liver lesions and related findings) performed on patients before the CT scanning indicated that ascites+ liver lesions was predominant (48.6%). The incidental liver lesions that take peripheral nodular enhancement by MDCT when contrast media is injected, were liver metastases (30%), hemangioma (14%), and HCC (10%). Liver cysts represent 10(20%) of the total cases of lesions that were non-enhanced by CT, with a few cases of liver cirrhosis (2%), hepatosplenomegaly (2%), and cyst + hepatitis (2%). We found a significant relationship between peripheral nodular enhancement for liver lesions by MDCT and non-enhancing liver lesions (P=0.001). Conclusion: The US and CT scan findings have a statistically significant relationship (P≤0.017). Contrast-enhanced CT performs better at diagnosing liver lesions than does standard US.

Keywords

• liver lesions
• multidetector computed tomography
• ultrasonography
• nodular enhancement
• contrast-enhanced computed tomography