2018 Volume 43 Issue 1 Pages 22-33
Purpose: This study was conducted to examine whether there are characteristic findings of hepatic malignant lymphoma on B-mode and Doppler ultrasonography.
Subjects and Methods: Eleven patients (8 men and 3 women, median age 83 years) who were diagnosed with malignant lymphoma by biopsy or hepatectomy after ultrasonography between January 2011 and December 2015 were analyzed retrospectively. Histologically, there were 8 diffuse large B-cell lymphomas, 1 extranodal marginal zone lymphoma of mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue, 1 methotrexate-associated lymphoproliferative disorder and 1 Hodgkin lymphoma.
Results and Discussion: There was a significant difference in B-mode findings and Doppler findings between tumors with diameters of ≧30 mm and those with diameters of ＜30 mm (≧30 mm: 6 cases, ＜30 mm: 5 cases). Tumors with a diameter of ≧30 mm appeared as hypoechoic masses with heterogeneous internal echo, with linear or dotted hyperechoic images. On color Doppler, penetration of normal vessels was observed inside the tumor. Tumors a diameter of ＜30 mm appeared as hypoechoic masses with homogeneous internal echo, and displayed images that were not suggestive of vascular penetration. Histopathological characteristics did not correlate with ultrasonographic findings in any of the cases.
Conclusion: We conclude that the ultrasonographic findings of hepatic malignant lymphoma might vary with a diameter of 30 mm. It was suggested that the ultrasonographic differential diagnosis capability of hepatic malignant lymphomas might be improved by assessing the tumor diameter and the internal echo on B-mode and by evaluating the presence or absence of the vascular penetrating image on color Doppler.
