• Korean Journal of Radiology
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• v.20 no.6
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• pp.863-879
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• 2019

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) can be noninvasively diagnosed on the basis of its characteristic imaging findings of arterial phase enhancement and portal/delayed "washout" on computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in cirrhotic patients. However, different specific diagnostic criteria have been proposed by several countries and major academic societies. In 2018, major guideline updates were proposed by the Association for the Study of Liver Diseases, European Association for the Study of the Liver (EASL), Korean Liver Cancer Association and National Cancer Center (KLCA-NCC) of Korea. In addition to dynamic CT and MRI using extracellular contrast media, these new guidelines now include magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) using hepatobiliary contrast media as the first-line diagnostic test, while the KLCA-NCC and EASL guidelines also include contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) as the second-line diagnostic test. Therefore, hepatobiliary MR contrast media and CEUS will be increasingly used for the noninvasive diagnosis and staging of HCC. In this review, we discuss the emerging role of hepatobiliary phase MRI and CEUS for the diagnosis of HCC and also review the changes in the HCC diagnostic criteria in major guidelines, including the KLCA-NCC practice guidelines version 2018. In addition, we aimed to pay particular attention to some remaining issues in the noninvasive diagnosis of HCC.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.13 no.8
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• pp.3709-3712
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• 2012

This study evaluated the advantages and applications of contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS)-supported percutaneous radiofrequency ablation (RFA) in the treatment of metastatic hepatocellular carcinoma after liver transplantation, based on clinical details. CEUS-supported percutaneous RFA was adopted to treat 12 patients with hepatic metastatic carcinomas after liver transplantation. The diameters of the metastatic carcinomas varied from 1 cm to 5 cm, and the foci were discovered after 3 months to 12 months. Each focus was diagnosed and localised by CEUS for RFA once or twice. Curative effects were evaluated by CEUS or contrast-enhanced CT after the treatment. The re-examination results at 2 weeks post-treatment showed that the foci of 11 patients were ablated completely, whereas one patient with the largest focus required retreatment by RFA because of a partial residue. No local recurrence was found one month later in the re-examination. CEUS-supported percutaneous RFA in the treatment of hepatic metastatic carcinoma after liver transplantation has the advantages of accurate localisation, good efficacy, easy operation, and minimal invasion without any complications. Therefore, it can be recommended as the preferred therapy for hepatic metastatic carcinoma after liver transplantation.

• Investigative Magnetic Resonance Imaging
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• v.26 no.1
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• pp.60-65
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• 2022

Gadoxetic acid-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has been widely used to detect and characterize focal hepatic lesions. Because gadoxetic acid is a hepatocyte-specific contrast agent, its patterns during hepatobiliary phase enhancement provide useful information for differential diagnoses of focal hepatic lesions. Hepatic angiomyolipoma (AML) is a rare mesenchymal hepatic neoplasm composed of blood vessels, epithelioid cells, and varying amounts of adipose tissue components. Hepatic AMLs usually show marked hypointensity during the hepatobiliary phase of gadoxetic acid-enhanced MRI as hepatic AMLs are devoid of hepatocytes and fibrotic components. The present study describes a patient with hepatic AML and an atypical imaging feature. This tumor showed hyperintensity during the hepatobiliary phase of gadoxetic acid-enhanced MRI, mimicking hepatocellular tumors such as hepatocellular adenoma. The hepatobiliary hyperintensity of this lesion was likely due to multifocal entrapped hepatocytes resulting from an intrasinusoidal growth pattern of tumor cells and insufficient hepatic parenchymal enhancement during the hepatobiliary phase of gadoxetic acid-enhanced MRI.

• The Korean Journal of Nuclear Medicine Technology
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• v.28 no.1
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• pp.23-29
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• 2024

Purpose: 99mTc-mebrofenin hepatobiliary scintigraphy (HBS) is an important and clinically useful diagnostic imaging study for detecting complications after liver transplantation. CT contrast agents due to their high atomic numbers, lead to a decrease in gamma ray count rates. This study investigated the impact of CT contrast agents on the uptake of 99mTc-mebrofenin in the liver. Materials and Methods: The quantitative HBS was performed on sixty-two liver transplantation patients (male:female=36:26), with a mean age of 59.4±6.4 years. Statistical comparison of hepatic uptake reduction ratio (HURR%) before and after the injection of CT contrast agents was performed using a paired t-test. Results: Hepatic uptake of the reduction ratio was 94.47±3.65% for the pre-CT contrast agents and 92.17±4.00% for the post-CT contrast agents. HURR% after CT contrast agent injection showed a statistically significant difference compared to before the injection (t=11.09, P<0.001). Conclusion: It will be necessary to pay attention when examining the HBS of patients with liver transplantation after the injection of CT contrast medium. It is advisable to schedule the examination on a different day to prevent residual contrast medium in the body from interfering with the quantitative evaluation of the nuclear medicine examination.

• Investigative Magnetic Resonance Imaging
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• v.19 no.3
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• pp.200-204
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• 2015

Image findings of hepatic lymphoma have been reported as variable, ranging from single or multiple small nodules to diffuse infiltrative patterns. On MRI, most hepatic lymphomas show T1 low signal intensity, T2 high signal intensity. Dynamic imaging reveals a hypointense appearance in the arterial phase, followed by delayed enhancement in the portal venous and transitional phase. In the hepatobiliary phase using a hepatocyte-specific contrast agent (which have recently aided in increasing the access to the focal liver lesions), hepatic lymphoma is known to exhibit low signal intensity. We report a case of hepatic lymphoma, which shows iso-signal intensity on hepatobiliary phase, using gadoxetic acid (Gd-EOB-DTPA).

• The Korean Journal of Nuclear Medicine
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.25-41
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• 1985

간흡충증은 한국 및 동남아세아에 널리 분포되어 있는 중요한 풍토병의 하나로서 진단은 전통적으로 분변검사에 의존하여 오고 있다. 최근 들어 담관내 간흡충 및 이의 합병증의 진단을 위해 ERCP 및 contrast cholangiogram등이 시도되었으나 실제에 이용하기에는 많은 제약이 있다 하겠다. 저자는 간흡충증에 있어서 최근 소개된 $^{99m}Tc-DISIDA$ hepatobiliary scintigraphy의 진단적 의의를 규명하고자 1982년부터 1983년까지 고신의대 부속 복음병원에서 검진한 간흡충증 환자 90명을 대상으로 하여 $^{99m}Tc-DISIDA$ hepatobiliary scintigraphy와 formalin-ether 원침법에 의한 분변검사를 시행하였다. $^{99m}Tc-DISIDA$ scintigram소견은 간내 담관 bile flow 및 총수담관 bile flow defect, 그리고 간세포기능의 정도에 따라 자료를 분석하였고 그외 합병증의 진단은 병록 기록, 수술 소견, ERCP 등에 의존하여 결론을 얻었다. $^{99m}Tc-DISIDA$ scintigraphy는 특이한 양상의 bile flow dynamics를 나타내었으며 간내 주담관의 intermittent irregular focal bile flow defect 및 tile flow stasis를 나타내고 말초담관의 bile flow defect는 경미하고 60분 내에 담관 bile flow activity의 완전한 배설을 나타내는 경우를 mild pattern, 간내 담관의 심한 irregular bile flow dynamics 및 간내담관의 심한 irregularity (담관내벽의 심한 불규칙성), 총수담관, 간내 주담관 및 말초 담관까지 심하게 irregular bile flow stasis를 나타내며 bile flow activity의 완전 베설이 $60\sim90$분사이 혹은 90분이상까지 인지된 경우를 moderate-severe pattern으로 분류하였다. 1) 분변검사상 간흡충증은 95검사중 70검사(환자 86명중 67명)에서 양성을 보여 분변 충난검사의 양성율은 73.7%였고 음성율은 26.3%였다. 2) $^{99m}Tc-DISIDA$ hepatobiliary scintigraphy는 90명중 70명에서 특이한 Cs-bile flow양성을 보였으며 양성율은 77.8%였으며 음성율은 22.2%였다. 3) $^{99m}Tc-DISIDA$ hepatobiliary scintigram양성율을 나타낸 환자 70명중 11명은 mild pattern, 59명은 moderate-severe pattern을 나타냈으며 그중 21명은 여러가지 간세포 기능 및 담관에 영향을 미치는 질환과 합병했지만 특이한 Cs-bile flow pattern을 dominent하게 나타내었으며 합병된 여러 질환들도 bile flow pattern상 인지 할 수 있었다. 4) $^{99m}Tc-DISIDA$ hepatobiliary scintigram 음성율을 나타낸 환자 20명중 8명은 만성간염, 5명은 간경변증, 3명은 재발성 농양성담관염(recurrent pyogenic cholangitis)과 간내담도의 stricture 및 담관담석증이 합병되었으며 scintigram상 합병증의 pattern을 나타냈고 4명에서는 low CBD obstruction을 나타내었으며 후에 CBD stone, CBD carcinoma, gall bladder Ca.의 porta hepatis 전이 및 clonorchis worms의 cluster에 의한 obstruction이 operation 및 ERCP로서 진단 되었다. 5) $^{99m}Tc-DISIDA$ hepatobiliary scintigraphy pattern은 현재의 자각증상과 관계된 dominent disease를 나타내었으며, 공간 점유병소도 multiple project images를 시행하므로서 쉽게 발견할 수 있었다. 이와 같이 간흡충증에 있어서 $^{99m}Tc-DISIDA$ hepatobiliary scintigram은 환자의 자각증상과 관계된 질환을 규명하는 데 필요한 정보를 얻었을 수 있었으며 간내담관의 damage정도를 규명하는데 필요한 procedure임이 판명되었다.

• The Korean Journal of Nuclear Medicine
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.254-259
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• 1990

We examined patients with suspected acute or intermittent biliary obstruction using hepatobiliary scintigraphy, ultrasonography and contrast cholangiography. Of 16 patients with confirmed common bile duct obstruction, sonography and scintigraphy disagreed in 8(50%). Scintigraphy revealed partial or complete common bile duct obstruction in 13 patients (81.3%) and 6 of them had no evidence of dilated biliary trees. It is concluded that disagreement between sonography and scintigraphy is not rare in patients with acute or intermittent biliary obstruction and hepatobiliary scintigraphy is useful in diagnosing obstruction prior to ductal dilatation.

• Investigative Magnetic Resonance Imaging
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.47-51
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• 2015

Sarcomatous Intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma is a rare but an aggressive variant of cholangiocarcinoma with a very poor prognosis. A 79-year-old man was admitted to our hospital because of incidentally found liver mass. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) revealed well-defined hypointense mass on T1WI and heterogeneous hyperintense mass on T2WI. Gd-EOB-DTPA enhanced study shows peripheral rim-like enhancement in arterial phase and progressive concentric filling of contrast in delayed phase. And mass shows significant enhancement in hepatobiliary phase. The pathologic diagnosis was intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma with sarcomatous change.

• Investigative Magnetic Resonance Imaging
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.52-55
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• 2015

Supradiaphragmatic liver is a rare condition. Establishing an accurate preoperative diagnosis is difficult. Operative exploration is necessary to differentiate this lesion from intrathoracic masses, such as a pleural based tumor, diaphragmatic tumor and peripheral lung tumor. However, with the aid of the hepatocyte-specific magnetic resonance imaging contrast agent, gadoxetic acid (Gd-EOB-DTPA), functional hepatocytes in the lesion can be identified in the hepatobiliary phase, potentially allowing an accurate and non-invasive diagnosis. We report a case of supradiaphragmatic liver diagnosed by Gd-EOB-DTPA-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging.

• Environmental Mutagens and Carcinogens
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• v.21 no.1
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• pp.1-8
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• 2001

We have synthesized $^{99m}$Tc-mercaptoacetyltriglycine (MAG3)-biocytin as a new imaging agent for hepatobiliary scintigraphy. The aim of this study was to evaluate the usefulness of $^{99m}$Tc-MAG3-biocytin scintigraphy in differentiating carbon tetrachloride ( $CCl_4$)-induced hepatotoxicity from $\alpha$-naphthylisothiocyanate (ANIT)-induced cholestasis in mice, which reflecting the differential diagnosis of neonatal jaundice caused by neonatal hepatitis from congenital biliary atresia in humans. Methods: Balb/c mice (female, 20 g, n=4-6) were pretreated with $CCl_4$(0.5 or $1.0m\ell$/kg) and ANIT ($150 or 300 m\ell$/kg) 18 h before scintigraphy. Biochemical and histopathological examinations showed a pattern of typical acute hepatitis (increase of transaminases and hepatocellular necnsis) in $CCl_4$-treated mice and cholestasis (increase of alkaline phosphatase and ${\gamma}$-glutamyltransferase, and biliary hyperplasia) in ANIT-treated mice, respectively, Mice were fasted at least 4 hr prior to the intravenous injection of $^{99m}$Tc-MAG3-biocytin (18.5 MBq/20$\mu\textrm{g}$) in 2% human serum albumin in saline. Scintigraphy was performed with a ${\gamma}$-camera equipped with a 1-mm diameter pin-hole collimator for 30 min and images were acquired every 15 s. We compared the values of physical parameters, such as peak liver/heart ratio ($${\gamma}$_{max}$) and peak ratio time ($t_{max}$) far $^{99m}$Tc-MAG3-biocytin scintigraphy. Results: Scintigraphic parameters of the $CCl_4$-pretreated (0.5 $m\ell$/kg) group showed a 81.9% decrease of r$_{max}$, and 42.2% decrease of $t_{max}$, whereas the ANIT-pretreated ( $150m\ell$/kg) group showed a 53% decrease of $r_{max}$, and 2.36-fold increase of $t_{max}$, (P<0.05). These results demonstrate that the decrease of $r_{max}$ and the shortening of $t_{max}$ are characteristic features for hepatotoxicity, in contrast to the increase of $t_{max}$ and decrease of $r_{max}$ for biliary hyperplasia. Conclusion: $^{99m}$Tc-MAG3-biocytin hepatobiliary scintigraphy can distinguish hepatitis from cholestasis in mice model and may be similarly useful in humans which differentiating the cause of neonatal jaundice in clinical study.cal study.cal study.cal study.