Modern multimodality diagnosis of portal vein infiltration in hepatocellular carcinoma and expected changes during current therapies. (November 2015)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Kaufmann, Sascha; Schulze, Maximilian; Spira, Daniel; Horger, Marius
• Is Part Of: Acta radiologica. Volume 56:Number 11(2015 Nov.)
• Page Start: 1283
• Page End: 1292
• Publication Date: 2015-11
• Subjects: Liver -- portal vein thrombosis -- computed tomography (CT) -- magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) -- ultrasound; Radiology, Medical -- Periodicals; Radiography, Medical -- Periodicals; Radiotherapy -- Periodicals; 616.0757
• DOI: 10.1177/0284185114556305
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0284-1851

Abstract

Diagnosis of malignant portal vein infiltration and especially differentiation from bland thrombosis is challenging for most imaging techniques. The use of contrast-enhanced real-time modern imaging modalities like contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS), volume perfusion CT (VPCT), or dynamic contrast-enhanced MRI (DCE-MRI) with dedicated postprocessing tools provides additional support in difficult cases and is therefore recommended. The purpose of this review is to present a practical overview of strengths and limitations of modern imaging techniques in the diagnosis of malignant infiltration of the portal vein by hepatocellular carcinoma and to describe subsequent changes during therapy.