[Liver tumors in children: spiral CT findings and differential diagnostic classification]

Liver tumors in childhood are rare. They can be subdivided in benign or primary and secondary malignant liver tumors. The prognosis of malignant liver disease has improved due to extended therapy in the past few years. Thus, diagnosis of liver tumors in childhood gains in significance. After a suspect ultrasound diagnosis, usually computed tomography (CT) is used as a radiologic sectioning method. Guided by a retrospective analysis of 15 cases, the importance of the Helical-CT is presented. Helical-CT is a good diagnostic method for pediatric cases due to reduced scan times. By the basis of clinical data, distribution, and density, various differential diagnoses can be made. Benign liver tumors, especially cysts and frequently haemangioma, can easily be diagnosed and controlled because of their typical echogenicity and contrast visualisation. In cases of hamartoma, focal nodal hyperplasia, and adenoma computed tomography diagnosis is often necessary. Primary malignant liver tumors can prove to be unilocular hepatoblastomas or hepatocellular carcinomas, while disseminated liver invasions usually are considered as metastatic liver tumors of kidney or adrenal cancer.