A primary hepatic carcinoid tumor: evaluation by computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging

A case of primary hepatic carcinoid tumor is reported. A 40-year-old woman was admitted to our hospital because of an epigastric mass. Ultrasonography demonstrated a heterogeneous, hyperechoic mass with hypoechoic area in the left lobe of the liver. CT showed a hypodense lesion with more hypodense areas. Enhanced CT showed slight retention of contrast medium and a low density area that suggested necrosis in the tumor. The mass appeared as a heterogeneous area of low signal intensity with sharp margin on T1-weighted MRI. T2-weighted MRI revealed a high intensity mass with higher intensity foci. Left lateral segmental hepatic resection was performed. Immunohistochemical and electron microscopic studies revealed the carcinoid tumor. Postoperatively, careful, intensive search revealed no other primary source of the tumor. The higher intensity foci were microscopically identified as intratumoral hemorrhage, corresponding to hemorrhagic areas on the cut surface. Therefore, T2-weighted MRI might reflect the pathological characteristics of the tumor.