Computed tomography of benign hepatic tumors

Computed tomography (CT) was performed on five patients with focal benign liver lesions: two cases of focal nodular hyperplasia (FNH) and three cases of hepatic adenoma (HA). All five patients had low density lesions seen best on noncontrast scans. Focal nodular hyperplasia often presents as an asymptomatic, well circumscribed lesion with a central, stellate, fibrous scar. Hepatic adenoma, which is associated with the use of oral contraceptives, is a smooth bordered mass that exhibited foci of hemorrhage in two of our three cases. Both of these benign liver lesions enhance to a variable degree of following intravenous contrast medium administration. It is concluded that a specific diagnosis of FNH or HA may be suggested when appropriate CT findings are detected.