J Korean Radiol Soc.  2008 Mar;58(3):277-282. 10.3348/jkrs.2008.58.3.277.

Analysis of Hepatic Capsular Enhancement Mimicking the Fitz-Hugh-Curtis Syndrome on a Multidetector Computed Tomography

• Park JS
• Park SJ
• Lee HK
• Yi BH
• Hong HS
• Cha JG
• Lim H

• KMID: 1852942
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.3348/jkrs.2008.58.3.277

Abstract

PURPOSE
To determine the associated diseases causing hepatic capsular enhancement and analyze the relationship of the capsular enhancement patterns as a function of the associated diseases.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
We retrospectively reviewed 797 patients having undergone arterial phase abdominal CT scans. Among these images, 47 patients showed hepatic capsular enhancement (13 men and 34 women; mean age: 53.1; age range: 5-91 years). We investigated if there was a correlation between the pattern of hepatic capsular enhancement and cause of disease. When the hepatic capsular enhancement was found to persist until the portal phase, the symptom duration was evaluated.
RESULTS
Hepatic capsular enhancements were presented in 5.9% (47/797) of the arterial phase abdominal CT scans. Six patients (12.8%) were diagnosed with Fitz-Hugh-Curtis syndrome. The other causes of hepatic capsular enhancement included 20 cases of inflammation, 13 cases of malignancy, and 8 cases of other diseases. The extent of the hepatic capsular enhancement was not significantly different among the causes of disease. In thirty two of 47 patients (68.1%), hepatic capsular enhancement persisted until the portal phase images.
CONCLUSION
Hepatic capsular enhancement on an arterial phase is a nonspecific imaging finding observed in the Fitz-Hugh-Curtis syndrome as well as a variety of other diseases. A CT is useful in finding the hepatic capsular enhancement and determining the accompanying disease.

Keyword

Computed tomography (CT); Liver; Pelvic inflammatory diseases

MeSH Terms

Chlamydia Infections
Female
Hepatitis
Humans
Inflammation
Liver
Male
Multidetector Computed Tomography
Pelvic Inflammatory Disease
Peritonitis
Retrospective Studies
Chlamydia Infections
Hepatitis
Pelvic Inflammatory Disease
Peritonitis