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Colon adenocarcinoma with calcific liver metastasis

Case contributed by Domenico Nicoletti
Diagnosis certain

Presentation

Rectal bleeding, anorexia, and weight loss.

Patient Data

Age: 50 years
Gender: Male

Colon CT with intravenous contrast material

Dolichocolon with a stenotic lesion in the descending colon. There are small foci of calcification in the lesion wall. Calcifications are also seen in several regional lymph nodes and inside a tributary vein.

Large secondary hypovascular lesion with "spray" calcifications and necrosis in the right hepatic lobe. There are satellite metastases in both lobes, some of which display punctate calcifications.

Case Discussion

About 50% of patients with colorectal cancer develop liver metastases during the course of the disease. 15-25% of patients have liver metastases at diagnosis, whereas in the remaining cases, liver metastases occur at different times of the clinical evolution of the disease.

Calcific metastases are more common in mucinous adenocarcinoma (colon, stomach, ovary), neuroblastoma, osteosarcoma, and thyroid carcinoma.

In some cases, they are evident after chemotherapy, especially in ovarian cancer.

Calcifications can be central, peripheral, or completely fill up the lesion


 

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