Application of CT perfusion imaging in diagnosing liver cancer

Abstract

Hepatic perfusion data such as hepatic blood flow, hepatic blood volume, hepatic arterial perfusion index etc, can be obtained by CT perfusion imaging (CTPI)with quantitative measurements of local blood flow to the liver. As the data mentioned above are varied in different tissues, e. g normal liver parenchyma, cirrhotic liver, hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC) and secondary liver cancer(SLC),the differential diagnosis of liver lesions, especially the early subclinical liver cancer, can be made by analyzing the related data. The principle of CTPI, the main points for differential diagnosis between HCC and SLC, the relationship between CTPI and micro-vessel density(MVD), the changes of CTPI pre-and post-TACE, as well as diagnostic sensitivity of CTPI and contrast enhanced ultrasound(CEUS) in patients with liver cancer were introduced in this article. Key words: CT perfusion imaging; Liver cancer; Diagnosis; Differential diagnosis