Department of Radiology, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Korea.
Published online: January 1, 2001.
ABSTRACT
PURPOSE: To evaluate the echogenicity of hepatic tumors quantitatively by using computer-aided tissue echo quantification(CATEQ) technique, and to assess the value of this technique in differentiating hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC) from hemangioma. MATERIALS & METHODS: Forty-seven patients with HCCs and 39 with hemangiomas were studied with sonography. Sonographic images were captured with video image grabber(snappy) and saved in bitmap image files. The images were recalled and analyzed with Visual C++ program (Microsoft Redmond, WA, U.S.A.). The grayscales of hepatic parenchyma, tumor, and background of film were measured with the cursor in the areas of hepatic parenchyma and background of film in th depth similar to that of the hepatic tumor to minimize the effect of time gain compensation to the echogenicity. The absolute grayscale of hepatic parenchyma was assigned as 100 and background of film as 0, then the relative grayscale of the tumor was calculated. RESULTS: Relative grayscales of 47 HCCs ranged from 17 to 115% and those of 39 hemangiomas ranged from 108 to 933%, respectively. The mean relative grayscales were 71+/-22.4% in HCCs and 208+/-148.3% in hemangiomas. The difference between the relative grayscale of HCC and hemangioma was statically significant (p < .001). The relative grayscale was lower than 116% of relative grayscale, sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value and negative predictive value for the diagnosis of HCC were 100%, 85%, 89% and 100%, respectively. CONCLUSION: CATEQ technique is useful in the differentiation between hepatocellular carcinoma and hemangioma.
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