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Published in: Insights into Imaging 1/2023

Open Access 01-12-2023 | Computed Tomography | Original Article

CT appearances and classification of hepatic epithelioid hemangioendothelioma

Authors: Haidong Tan, Ruiquan Zhou, Hongwei Yu, Feng Teng, Shuang Si, Liguo Liu, Shiwei Yang, Dongdong Han, Xiaolei Liu

Published in: Insights into Imaging | Issue 1/2023

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Abstract

Background

Hepatic epithelioid hemangioendothelioma (HEH) is extremely rare, and CT features have never been analyzed in a large group of patients.

Methods

A retrospective study was designed to review the contrast-enhanced CT images of HEH patients. Intrahepatic lesions were categorized into three types: nodular, locally coalescent (coalescent lesion contained in one segment) or diffusely coalescent (coalescent lesion occupied more than one segment). CT features were compared among lesions of different sizes and patients with different lesion types.

Results

A total of 93 HEH patients were included in this study, and 740 lesions were analyzed. The results of per-lesion analysis showed that medium lesions (2–5 cm) had the highest rate of lollipop sign (16.8%) and target-like enhancement (43.1%), while lesions in large group (> 5 cm) had the highest rate of capsular retraction (38.8%) and vascular invasion (38.8%). The differences on enhancement pattern and the rates of lollipop sign and capsular retraction were significant among lesions of different sizes (p < 0.001, respectively). The results of per-patient analysis showed that patients in locally coalescent group had the highest rates of lollipop sign (74.3%) and target sign (94.3%). All patients in diffusely coalescent group had capsular retraction and vascular invasion. CT appearances of capsular retraction, lollipop sign, target sign and vascular invasion differed significantly among patients with different lesion types (p < 0.001, p = 0.005, p = 0.006 and p < 0.001, respectively).

Conclusion

CT features variated among HEH patients with different lesion types, and radiological appearances of HEH should be classified into nodular type, locally coalescent type and diffusely coalescent type.
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Metadata
Title
CT appearances and classification of hepatic epithelioid hemangioendothelioma
Authors
Haidong Tan
Ruiquan Zhou
Hongwei Yu
Feng Teng
Shuang Si
Liguo Liu
Shiwei Yang
Dongdong Han
Xiaolei Liu
Publication date
01-12-2023
Publisher
Springer Vienna
Published in
Insights into Imaging / Issue 1/2023
Electronic ISSN: 1869-4101
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1186/s13244-023-01410-z

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