[Lipiodol-CT for the detection of small hypovascular HCC]

To evaluate the diagnostic value of Lipiodol-CT for small hypovascular HCC, we injected 3 ml or less Lipiodol into the hepatic artery of patients with chronic liver disease and small SOL in the liver detected on echogram but not on angiogram. About seven days after injection CT was used to check for accumulation of Lipiodol in the liver SOL. We found that the sensitivity of this method for detection of hypovascular HCC is only 25%. We assume that Lipiodol does not accumulate in small hypovascular HCC lesions because they have little vascular stroma. Lipiodol-CT has high diagnostic value for the detection of small hypervascular daughter HCC lesions, but this method should not be relied on for the detection of small hypovascular HCC.