Hepatic attenuation on CT

Changed by Yuranga Weerakkody, 12 Oct 2016

Updates to Article Attributes

Body was changed:

Show markup changes

Hepatic attenuation on CT, reflected by Hounsfield values, depends on a combination of factors including the presence or absence, as well as the phase, of IV contrast administration.

Allowing for all these factors, the mean unenhanced attenuation value is around 55 HU ⁴.

Pathology

Several intrinsic liver pathologies can be attributed a diffuse change in liver attenuation with an amount of hepatic fat being the most prevalent.

Aetiology

Diffusely increased attenuation

deposition of certain metals
- iron overload - deposition in
  - haemochromatosis ~~and~~
  - haemosiderosis
    - thalassaemia
- copper in Wilson disease
glycogen storage disease(es)
medications/drugs
- amiodarone hepatotoxicity: long-term amiodarone administration ^7-8
- gold therapy ⁶
previous Thorotrast administration

Diffusely decreased attenuation

diffuse fatty infiltration (diffuse hepatic steatosis)
diffuse malignant infiltration
diffuse non-malignant infiltrative disease (e.g. hepatic amyloidosis)

~~-<li>iron in <a href="/articles/haemochromatosis">haemochromatosis</a> and <a href="/articles/haemosiderosis">haemosiderosis</a>~~
+<li>iron overload - deposition in<ul>
+<li><a href="/articles/haemochromatosis">haemochromatosis</a></li>
+<li>
+<a href="/articles/haemosiderosis">haemosiderosis</a><ul><li><a title="Thalassaemia" href="/articles/thalassaemia">thalassaemia</a></li></ul>
+</li>
+</ul>

Images Changes:

Image 5 CT (C+ portal venous phase) ( update )

Caption was changed:

Case 5: increased in ~~thalassemia from iron overload~~thalassaemia

ADVERTISEMENT: Supporters see fewer/no ads

{"current_user":null,"inclusions":[{"imageId":240478,"studyId":9218,"caseSlug":"diffuse-hepatic-steatosis-1","caption":"Case 1: decreased with diffuse hepatic steatosis","thumbnail":"https://prod-images-static.radiopaedia.org/images/240478/e210f2e41c5ada666fa235aecbe145_big_gallery.jpg","isStack":true,"diagnosticCertainty":"confirmed_substantiated"},{"imageId":2277669,"studyId":19231,"caseSlug":"amiodarone-hepatotoxicity","caption":"Case 2: increased with amiodarone hepatotoxicity","thumbnail":"https://prod-images-static.radiopaedia.org/images/2277669/8edc414fcc5d59da6a831b70b99986_big_gallery.JPEG","isStack":false,"diagnosticCertainty":"probable"},{"imageId":2901932,"studyId":21518,"caseSlug":"haemochromatosis-with-hyperdense-liver","caption":"Case 3: increased with hemochromatosis","thumbnail":"https://prod-images-static.radiopaedia.org/images/2901932/8c2e6d7e61cd35a9219ef5905997a7_big_gallery.jpg","isStack":true,"diagnosticCertainty":"confirmed_substantiated"},{"imageId":6271894,"studyId":28529,"caseSlug":"amiodarone-hepatotoxicity-2","caption":"Case 4: increased with amiodarone hepatotoxicity","thumbnail":"https://prod-images-static.radiopaedia.org/images/6271894/1d2bea7f2d868cde1caae9186aee0c1a991b6edc8f80b5df2ef6ae22cd68b366_big_gallery.jpeg","isStack":true,"diagnosticCertainty":"confirmed_unsubstantiated"},{"imageId":25523741,"studyId":53433,"caseSlug":"beta-thalassaemia","caption":"Case 5: increased in thalassemia","thumbnail":"https://prod-images-static.radiopaedia.org/images/25523741/d077f3cb838497acb91ad68619cec2_big_gallery.jpeg","isStack":true,"diagnosticCertainty":"confirmed_substantiated"},{"imageId":55401507,"studyId":108639,"caseSlug":"sickle-cell-disease-abdominal-manifestations","caption":"Case 6: hepatic hemosiderosis in sickle cell anemia","thumbnail":"https://prod-images-static.radiopaedia.org/images/55401507/Anonymize.Seq2.Ser3.Img30_big_gallery.jpeg","isStack":false,"diagnosticCertainty":"confirmed_substantiated"},{"imageId":61585799,"studyId":133844,"caseSlug":"amiodarone-deposition-in-the-liver-1","caption":"Case 7: amiodarone deposition in the liver","thumbnail":"https://prod-images-static.radiopaedia.org/images/61585799/9e124d2186f7590738d24e5bda76670db8aa3db2330587aaaffb3ebca46d4c5c_big_gallery.jpeg","isStack":true,"diagnosticCertainty":"confirmed_unsubstantiated"}],"ddx_inclusions":[],"lang":"us"}