Hepatocellular adenoma: color Doppler US and pathologic correlations

To describe the color Doppler ultrasound (US) features of hepatocellular adenoma (HA) and correlate these findings with pathologic findings, with special emphasis on the blood vessels.

Color Doppler US was prospectively performed in eight patients with histologic proof of HA. Eleven lesions were studied.

In seven lesions, color Doppler US demonstrated central color flow. In six of these lesions, pulse-wave Doppler US demonstrated a continuous and flat venous spectrum with frequency shifts of 0.20-0.60 kHz (mean, 0.37 kHz), which corresponded to pathologic findings of intratumoral veins 1-5 mm in diameter. The other lesion with central color flow demonstrated a triphasic venous waveform with 1.20-kHz frequency shift, which corresponded pathologically to a central vein 10 mm in diameter. In these seven lesions, color Doppler examination demonstrated both venous and arterial peritumoral flow.

Color Doppler US enables detection of intratumoral veins associated with peritumoral veins and arteries in patients with HA; these findings correlate well with pathologic data. These results might help in the differential diagnosis of HA and focal nodular hyperplasia.