CT APPEARANCE OF AMOEBIC AND PYOGENIC LIVER ABSCESSES
Abstract
OBJECTIVE. A retrospective review was performed to compare CT appearance of amoebic and pyogenic liver abscesses.
MATERIAL AND METHODS. Fifteen patients of proven amoebic or pyogenic liver abscess, which underwent CT scan, were retrospectively reviewed. The CT appearance was analyzed for number, location, size, shape, central homogeneity, central attenuation coefficient, rim enhancement, peripheral low-attenuation rim, and the presence of extrahepatic manifestations.
RESULTS. There were five cases of amoebic liver abscesses. All amoebic liver abscesses were solitary hypoattenuating mass with rim enhancement and all were in the right lobe. Four patients of amoebic abscess showed "double target sign". There were nine cases of pyogenic liver abscesses. Pyogenic liver abscesses could be located in any lobe and mostly appeared as cluster of microabscesses or a macroabscess with adjacent microabscesses. Pyogenic abscess could appear as miliary abscesses, solitary macroabscess or multiple separated macroabscesses. One patient of proven mixed amoebic and pyogenic abscesses showed ten separated abscesses scattering in both lobes of the liver.
CONCLUSION. Amoebic liver abscess was mostly in the right lobe and appeared as a solitary hypoattenuating mass with rim enhancement. The CT appearance of pyogenic liver abscesses were variable and mostly showed "cluster sign".
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