PERIPHERAL CHOLANGIOCARCINOMA - COMPARISON OF MRI WITH CT

To evaluate the clinical utility of computed tomography (CT) and magne tic resonance imaging (MRI) in the diagnosis of peripheral cholangioca rcinoma of the liver, 11 patients with pathologically proven periphera l cholangiocarcinoma were examined with both CT and MRT. On CT scans i n 10 cases, the tumors appeared as irregular, low-attenuation masses w ith a wide variation in heterogeneity. Contrast enhancement of the tum ors was mild in nine cases and moderate in one case, at the periphery. Tumor was not identified in one case. On T1-weighted MRIs, the tumors showed low intensity in eight cases and isointensity in three cases. On T2-weighted images, the tumors showed high intensity in all 11 case s, Focal dilatation of the intrahepatic bile ducts around the tumor wa s seen in one case on MRIs and in four cases on CT scans. Portal vein invasion of the tumors was seen in one case, and lymphadenopathy was s een in four cases on both MRIs and CT scans. MRI was slightly superior to CT in detecting the tumors, was inferior to CT in delineating foca l ductal dilatation around the tumors, and was equal to CT in assessin g extent of the tumors.