INCREASED HEPATIC DENSITY ON CT SCANS DUE TO ARRHYTHMIC TREATMENT WITH AMIODARONE

Purpose: To assess whether the hepatic density on CT scans of patients receiving amiodarone therapy differs significantly from the hepatic d ensity of a control group not receiving the drug. Methods: Hepatic den sity was assessed by CT in 31 patients receiving amiodarone, 7 receivi ng short-term (12-14 days), 8 receiving mid-term (20-89 days) and 16 r eceiving long-term therapy (3-26 months), as well as in a control grou p of 15 patients. Results: Mean liver density of all patients under am iodarone therapy (77.9 +/- 11.7 HU) was significantly higher (p < 0.00 5) than in the control group (56.6 +/- 2.8 HU). The smallest increase in density was found in patients with short-term therapy (64.8 +/- 3.4 HU; p < 0.05), the greatest increase in patients with long-term thera py (85.0 +/- 8.9 HU; p < 0.001). Conclusion: In patients receiving ami odarone therapy, a significantly increased hepatic density on CT scans is observed. This finding has to be considered as a differential diag nosis to other hepatopathies with increased density of the liver.