ROLE OF EARLY ARTERIAL PHASE CONTRAST-ENHANCED CT IMAGING IN DIFFERENTIATING HEPATOCELLULAR CARCINOMA FROM BENIGN LIVER LESIONS IN NON-ALCOHOLIC FATTY LIVER DISEASE (NAFLD)

Abstract

ABSTRACT:
Objective:

The purpose of the study is to assess the value of early arterial phase contrast-enhanced CT (CECT) to help differentiate hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and benign liver lesions.

Study Design:

This was a cross-sectional observational study that was carried out in a tertiary care hospital.

Methods

One hundred stole patients diagnosed with NAFLD and those that had suspected liver lesions were used. The images acquired at an early stage of the arterial phase of CECT were reviewed and the HCC features, including hypervascularity, washout, and location were identified. Statistical consideration has been utilized to evaluate the sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy of CECT in identifying the difference in HCC and non-HCC.

Results:

At the early-arterial-phase CECT, sensitivity, specificity and accuracy were 88,92 and 90 percent, respectively, in differentiating HCC and the benign lesions. The major distinguishing feature was hyper vascular appearances of lesions and washout patterns.

Conclusion:

CT scanning in early arterial phase demonstrates a high degree of accuracy with the differentiation of HCC and benign lesion among patients with NAFLD with major clinical usefulness in the early diagnosis and treatment planning.

Keywords:

Early Arterial Phase, Contrast-Enhanced CT, Hepatocellular Carcinoma, Benign Liver Lesions, Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease, Imaging, Diagnosis.