Ahmad Alizadeh1, Fariborz Mansour-Ghanaei2, Faezeh Berengi Bagheri3, Hossein Froutan4, Yaser Froutan5, Farahnaz Joukar1, Zahra Atrkar-Roushan6, Seyed Ali Chavoshi7, Soheil Hassanipour8. 1. Caspian Digestive Disease Research Center, Guilan University of Medical Sciences, Rasht, Iran. 2. Gastrointestinal and Liver Diseases Research Center, Guilan University of Medical Sciences, Rasht, Iran. fmansourghanaei@gmail.com. 3. Department of Radiology, Poursina Hospital, Guilan University of Medical Sciences, Rasht, Iran. 4. Emam Khomeini Hospital, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran. 5. Department of Pathology, Guilan University of Medical Sciences, Rasht, Iran. 6. School of Medicine, Guilan University of Medical Sciences, Rasht, Iran. 7. Department of Radiology, Shahid Beheshti Hospital, Qom University of Medical Sciences, Qom, Iran. 8. GI Cancer Screening and Prevention Research Center, Guilan University of Medical Sciences, Rasht, Iran.
Abstract
INTRODUCTION: Focal liver lesions (FLLs) are incidentally detected masses found in daily abdominal imaging which are necessary to be characterized, because of the potential of being malignant. There are several imaging methods, such as ultrasonography (US), computed tomography (CT scan), and contrast enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Here, we evaluate and compare the diagnostic accuracy (i.e., sensitivity and specificity) of these imaging methods for the diagnosis of FLLs. MATERIAL AND METHODS: In this retrospective study, patients with focal liver lesions included and based on the gastroenterologist decision, in 79 patients different imaging methods were used to determine the nature of FLLs: the US, CT scan, and MRI. At the next step, fine-needle aspiration biopsy (FNA) was performed in all cases, and the results about the true nature of FLLs compared with different imaging results. The chi-square test and McNemar test were used. RESULTS: Ultrasound diagnosis of benign and malignant was obtained with 82% diagnosis accuracy, 100% sensitivity, 71.4% specificity, 100% negative predictive value, and 69.2% positive predictive value (PPV) compared with the biopsy. Also, the results of benign and malignant masses in CT scan were obtained with diagnostic accuracy of 95%, 100% sensitivity, 80% specificity, 93.9% positive predictive value, and 100% negative predictive value. MRI performed only in 2 cases with similar results to pathology. CONCLUSION: It seems that CT scan is more appropriate and useful in the diagnosis of hepatic masses due to its higher diagnostic accuracy than the ultrasound.
INTRODUCTION: Focal liver lesions (FLLs) are incidentally detected masses found in daily abdominal imaging which are necessary to be characterized, because of the potential of being malignant. There are several imaging methods, such as ultrasonography (US), computed tomography (CT scan), and contrast enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Here, we evaluate and compare the diagnostic accuracy (i.e., sensitivity and specificity) of these imaging methods for the diagnosis of FLLs. MATERIAL AND METHODS: In this retrospective study, patients with focal liver lesions included and based on the gastroenterologist decision, in 79 patients different imaging methods were used to determine the nature of FLLs: the US, CT scan, and MRI. At the next step, fine-needle aspiration biopsy (FNA) was performed in all cases, and the results about the true nature of FLLs compared with different imaging results. The chi-square test and McNemar test were used. RESULTS: Ultrasound diagnosis of benign and malignant was obtained with 82% diagnosis accuracy, 100% sensitivity, 71.4% specificity, 100% negative predictive value, and 69.2% positive predictive value (PPV) compared with the biopsy. Also, the results of benign and malignant masses in CT scan were obtained with diagnostic accuracy of 95%, 100% sensitivity, 80% specificity, 93.9% positive predictive value, and 100% negative predictive value. MRI performed only in 2 cases with similar results to pathology. CONCLUSION: It seems that CT scan is more appropriate and useful in the diagnosis of hepatic masses due to its higher diagnostic accuracy than the ultrasound.
Authors: Raja Tariq Nazir; Muhammad Ashraf Sharif; Muhammad Iqbal; Muhammad Shahbaz Amin Journal: J Coll Physicians Surg Pak Date: 2010-06 Impact factor: 0.711