Published online Jun 1, 2004. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v10.i11.1639
Revised: October 4, 2003
Accepted: October 22, 2003
Published online: June 1, 2004
AIM: To assess CT, MR manifestations and their diagnostic value in hepatic tuberculosis.
METHODS: CT findings in 12 cases and MR findings in 4 cases of hepatic tuberculosis proved by surgery or biopsy were retrospectively analyzed.
RESULTS: (1) CT findings: One case of serohepatic type of hepatic tuberculosis had multiple-nodular lesions in the subcapsule of liver. Parenchymal type was found in 10 cases, including multiple, miliary, micronodular and low-density lesions with miliary calcifications in 2 cases; singular, low-density mass with multiple flecked calcifications in 3 cases; multiple cystic lesions in 1 case; multiple micronodular and low-density lesions fusing into multiloculated cystic mass or “cluser” sign in 3 cases; and singular, macronodular and low-density lesion with multiple miliary calcifications in 1 case. One case of tuberculous cholangitis showed marked dilated intrahepatic ducts with multiple flecked calcifications in the porta hepatis. (2) MR findings in 4 cases were hypointense on both T1-weighted imagings and T2-weighted imagings in one case, hypointense on T1-weighted imagings and hyperintense on T2-weighted imagings in 3 cases. Enhanced MR in 3 cases was slightly shown peripheral enhancement or with multilocular enhancement.
CONCLUSION: Various types of hepatic tuberculosis have different imaging findings, and typical CT and MR findings can suggest the diagnosis.