Andreu F Costa1, Seng Thipphavong2, Thomas Arnason3, Ashleigh E Stueck3, Sharon E Clarke1. 1. 1 Department of Diagnostic Radiology, Queen Elizabeth II Health Sciences Centre and Dalhousie University, Victoria General Bldg, 3rd Fl, 1276 S Park St, Halifax, NS B3H 2Y9, Canada. 2. 2 Joint Department of Medical Imaging, University Health Network, Mount Sinai Hospital, Women's College Hospital, and University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada. 3. 3 Department of Anatomical Pathology, Queen Elizabeth II Health Sciences Centre and Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS, Canada.
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this article is to review how fat is detected on imaging and to discuss the differential diagnosis of fat-containing liver lesions. CONCLUSION: Fat is a highly useful feature in characterizing liver lesions on imaging. Although a variety of liver lesions can show fat on cross-sectional imaging, the presence of fat usually indicates that the lesion is of hepatocellular origin. Less commonly, nonhepatocellular fatty lesions may be distinguished by ancillary clinical and imaging features.
OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this article is to review how fat is detected on imaging and to discuss the differential diagnosis of fat-containing liver lesions. CONCLUSION:Fat is a highly useful feature in characterizing liver lesions on imaging. Although a variety of liver lesions can show fat on cross-sectional imaging, the presence of fat usually indicates that the lesion is of hepatocellular origin. Less commonly, nonhepatocellular fatty lesions may be distinguished by ancillary clinical and imaging features.