Sclerotic changes of cavernous hemangioma in the cirrhotic liver: long-term follow-up using dynamic contrast-enhanced computed tomography

Abstract

Purpose: To determine the intra- and extralesional factors that predict sclerotic degeneration of hepatic hemangiomas in the cirrhotic liver on long-term follow-up computed tomography (CT) examinations.

Materials and methods: Fifty-seven hepatic hemangiomas (> 5 mm in diameter) in 41 cirrhotic patients; recruited over a 5-year period (January 2005-December 2009); were subjected to CT to determine which factors predict sclerotic contraction or degeneration in hemangiomas. Prior and follow-up CT examinations (from 2000 to 2018) were included to observe time-related changes. The patients' gender; age; cause of cirrhosis; progression of background liver cirrhosis; lesion size/location/contrast enhancement pattern; and serum aspartate transaminase to platelet ratio index were correlated with sclerotic changes of each lesion.

Results: According to the dynamic CT features; 36 of 57 (63%) hemangiomas were determined to have sclerotic changes during the follow-up period (1.1-14.4 years; median: 7.8 years); including 28 lesions (49%) reduced by ≥ 20% in diameter. In univariate analysis; age (p = 0.047) and morphological progression of background cirrhosis (p = 0.013) were significantly related to sclerotic change of hemangiomas. In the logistic regression analysis; only morphological progression of background liver cirrhosis independently predicted sclerotic change (odds ratio: 4.88; p = 0.007). With the exception of exophytic location free from size reduction (p = 0.023 in multivariate analysis); no other analyzed factors were significantly correlated with sclerotic changes.

Conclusion: Overall; sclerotic changes of hepatic cavernous hemangioma followed the morphological progression of background liver cirrhosis; while exophytic lesions tended to be free of size reduction.