Article Text
Abstract
Background and aims Hepatic tumours in children are rare lesions, but not easy to diagnose; they are usually detected by ultrasound followed if not conclusive by more complex imaging tools, like CT or MRI scan.
The aim is to present and exemplify the role of sectional imaging represented by CT or MRI in paediatric hepatic tumoral lesions and also to extract the technical features in sectional diagnostic imaging in children.
Method All the cases presented are patients from Paediatric or Surgery Department addressed to Radiology for hepatic tumoral lesions.
All children underwent CT or MRI after ultrasound detection of hepatic lesion that was not entirely characterised by US.
The small children were sedated by the anesthesiologists.
Some cases were confirmed by histology: all children that underwent surgery or/and oncology treatment.
Results CT is able to characterise hepatic focal tumoral lesions in children; it is the most accessible sectional imaging tool being less sensitive to movement’s artefacts; its limitations are related to the significant radiation absorbed by the patient.
MRI is superior in characterisation of hepatic tumours, revealing benign versus malignant criteria. It is non-irradiating so most advantageous in paediatric population, but its sensitivity to artefact’s movements and long duration are disadvantageous.
Both need specific adaptation for each age segment: dedicated paediatric protocols and technical equipments.
Conclusions CT scan and MRI are useful for the diagnostic of benign or malignant hepatic tumour in children and are mandatory for the follow-up evaluations in paediatric hepatic oncology.
- CT
- MRI
- liver
- tumour