Hepatic multi-nodular focal fatty metamorphosis in acquired porphyria cutanea tarda. Sonographic, CT, and MRI features.

The authors report the sonographic, computed tomography (CT), and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) findings in a patient with acquired porphyria cutanea tarda and hepatic multi-nodular focal fatty metamorphosis. There has only been one previous description of an association between these two conditions. The diagnosis was confirmed by histological analysis of a liver biopsy specimen. Symptomatology related to the hepatic abnormality may be due to an inflammatory reaction induced by the presence of uroporphyrin crystals in the liver. Each of the radiological techniques demonstrated unusual hepatic abnormalities and, in particular, MRI showed poorly defined areas in the liver which, on T2-weighted sequences, exhibited a hypersignal with fat saturation. Treatment of porphyria cutanea tarda led to clinical remission and resolution of radiological abnormalities.