Computed tomography of liver infarction

Abstract

Liver infarcts are relatively rare and uncommonly are diagnosed before autopsy. The CT appearance of hepatic infarction was studied in five patients. In four of these, well-defined, wedge-shaped, low-attenuation zones extending to the liver surface were seen on contrast-enhanced scans. The infarcts involved the right lobe of the liver in all patients, and the left lobe as well in two. Associated splenic infarcts were present in three patients and renal infarcts in two. While the clinical and laboratory findings in hepatic infarction can be completely mimicked by hepatic abscess, the different CT appearance of these lesions should permit noninvasive distinction in most patients.