The aim of this study was to assess if a liver: capsular retraction is a sp
ecific CT sign in malignant hepatic tumors. The authors reviewed retrospect
ively 320 hepatic CT scans obtained in 300 patients during a 3-year period.
These patients presented with benign (n = 64) or malignant (n = 236) hepat
ic tumors. In 7 patients we found retraction of the capsule surrounding the
tumor. All these tumors were histologically proven as malignant lesions: 4
metastases (none being chemically treated), 2 peripheral cholangiocarcinom
as, and 1 epithelioid hemangioendothelioma. The prevalence of this sign was
2.18% (7 of 320) in this series. This capsular retraction pattern has neve
r been found in hepato-cellular carcinomas (no fibrolamellar in this series
) and benign lesions. Liver capsular retraction is an uncommon but specific
(100%) sign in malignant hepatic tumors; however, a larger and prospective
series is needed.