Portal de Periódicos da CAPES

CALCIFICATIONS IN THE LIVER

1980; Elsevier BV; Volume: 18; Issue: 2 Linguagem: Inglês

10.1016/s0033-8389(22)01929-7

1557-8275

Joseph J. Darlak, Myron Moskowitz, Kenneth R. Kattan,

Medical Imaging and Pathology Studies

The radiologic demonstration of calcifications in the right upper quadrant of the abdomen is not infrequent. Hepatic parenchymal disease causing these calcifications is relatively uncommon, and the differential diagnosis is not widely appreciated. Once calcifications in the right upper quadrant are demonstrated, however, appropriate measures should be taken to exclude calcifications in the lung base, skin and subcutaneous tissues, costal cartilages, gallbladder and extrahepatic biliary tree, pancreas, kidney, suprarenal organs, renal arterial tree, portal venous system, retroperitoneal tumors, and lymph nodes. On occasion, intraabdominal calcifications that are closely applied to the liver margin or hilus may not be readily distinguished from intrahepatic calcifications by simple maneuvers.30 Simple, inexpensive, and safe procedures such as ultrasonography and/or fluoroscopic examination of the upper abdomen may help in establishing the intrahepatic location of the calcifications, as may the standard, time proven intravenous and oral contrast examinations. Isotope scans, computerized tomography, and interventional studies may be of use in establishing the definitive diagnosis, but usually play a small role in primary localization. It is worth reiterating that the left lobe of the liver extends across the midline; therefore, calcifications within it must be differentiated from structures that are immediately adjacent. Hepatic calcifications (and general increases in density) are uncommon. When they are present, they always indicate an abnormality, though they do not always indicate the nature or activity of the abnormality. Worldwide, the most common causes of hepatic calcifications are calcified granuloma (for example, tuberculosis and histoplasmosis) and hydatid disease.32