CALCIFICATION IN FOCAL NODULAR HYPERPLASIA - A NEW PROBLEM FOR DIFFERENTIATION FROM FIBROLAMELLAR HEPATOCELLULAR-CARCINOMA

PURPOSE: To describe calcification in focal nodular hyperplasia (FNH) of the liver, which poses a new problem for the differentiation of FNH from fibrolamellar hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). MATERIALS AND METH ODS: Ultrasound, computed tomography, and magnetic resonance imaging f indings of 357 FNH lesions diagnosed in the past 5 years in 295 patien ts (274 female, 21 male; aged 14-72 years) were retrospectively review ed with emphasis on intralesional calcification. RESULTS: Calcificatio ns were seen in five FNH lesions (1.4%) as small, solitary spots locat ed centrally or peripherally within the lesions. Morphologic features of these calcifications were similar to those of calcifications in two of six fibrolamellar HCCs in the same period. CONCLUSION: Calcificati on in FNH is a rare and atypical finding that poses further difficulty for differentiation from fibrolamellar HCC.