Hepatocellular adenoma: color Doppler US and pathologic correlations

Abstract

Purpose: To describe the color Doppler ultrasound (US) features of hepatocellular adenoma (HA) and correlate these findings with pathologic findings, with special emphasis on the blood vessels.

Materials and methods: Color Doppler US was prospectively performed in eight patients with histologic proof of HA. Eleven lesions were studied.

Results: In seven lesions, color Doppler US demonstrated central color flow. In six of these lesions, pulse-wave Doppler US demonstrated a continuous and flat venous spectrum with frequency shifts of 0.20-0.60 kHz (mean, 0.37 kHz), which corresponded to pathologic findings of intratumoral veins 1-5 mm in diameter. The other lesion with central color flow demonstrated a triphasic venous waveform with 1.20-kHz frequency shift, which corresponded pathologically to a central vein 10 mm in diameter. In these seven lesions, color Doppler examination demonstrated both venous and arterial peritumoral flow.

Conclusion: Color Doppler US enables detection of intratumoral veins associated with peritumoral veins and arteries in patients with HA; these findings correlate well with pathologic data. These results might help in the differential diagnosis of HA and focal nodular hyperplasia.