Proposal of a computed tomography classification for hepatic alveolar echinococcosis

Table 1 Primary morphologies with their respective additional sub-criteria (insofar as sub-criteria are available for a given primary morphology)

Primary morphology
I Diffuse infiltrating
With cystoid portion
Without cystoid portion
II Primarily circumscribed tumor-like
With cystoid portion
Without cystoid portion
III (a) Primarily cystoid - intermediate (approximately 3-8 cm)
With more solid portions at the edge
Without more solid portions at the edge
(b) Primarily cystoid - widespread (approximately > 8 cm)
With more solid portions at the edge
Without more solid portions at the edge
IV Small-cystoid/metastatic* (approximately < 3 cm)
V Mainly calcified

Table 2 Patterns of calcification. The pattern of calcification has to be considered separately from the Primary morphology and then combined. Pattern of calcification group (*) only occurs with Primary morphology IV*; Primary morphology V is not further characterized by a Pattern of calcification

Pattern of calcification
Without calcifications (Figure 1A)
With feathery calcifications (Figure 1B)
With focal calcifications (Figure 1C)
With a central calcification* (Figure 1D)
With diffuse calcifications (Figure 1E)
With calcifications primarily at the edge (Figure 1F)