[Sonographic and computed tomography features of hepatic angiomyolipoma].

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the sonographic and computed tomography (CT) features of hepatic angiomyolipoma (HAML).

METHODS

Sonographic and CT findings were analyzed in 12 patients (9 females and 3 males) with pathologically proved HAML. The size, margin, location, gray scale, and color Doppler flow imaging characteristics were observed.

RESULTS

HAML was located correctly with ultrasound in all patients. The sonographic features of 12 HAML included regular shape, clear margin, and three type of echoes including homogeneous hyperechoes (n=5), heterogeneous internal echoes (n=5), or homogeneous hypoechoes (n=2). The arterial flow signal was detected in two HAML. The CT findings included adipose density (n=3), soft tissue density (n=3), and mixed density (n=6). The sonographic and CT findings were correlated with the composition and distribution of fat, vessels, and smooth muscle tissue.

CONCLUSIONS

Fatty tissues within HAML shows typical imaging findings. The ultrasonographic and CT have their own advantages in detecting the fatty tissue inside HAML, and therefore a combination of these two techniques may increase the diagnostic accuracy of HAML.