2004 Volume 45 Issue 10 Pages 526-532
The peritumoral high density ring (Corona) detected at portal phase on abdominal contrast computed tomography (CT) is a characteristic finding which appears at the circumference of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). We examined whether the corona had any clinical significance using excision specimens diagnosed as HCC. 62 nodules of 62 patients were evaluated in this study. A corona was seen in 55 of 62 cases (88.7%). Although there is no significant difference, a corona appears at high rates in cases with stronger enhancement in the arterial phase and with a pathological capsule. But it is important fact that a corona was seen cases without pathological capsules. According to the degree of differentiation, 2 of 5 well differentiated cases (40%), 10 of 10 well/moderately differentiated cases (100%), 38 of 40 moderately differentiated cases (90.5%), 3 of 3 moderately/poorly differentiated cases (100%), 2 of 2 poorly differentiated cases (100%) showed a corona. A significant difference was seen between well and well/moderately differentiated cases. Appearance rate of corona according to background liver is no significant difference. The corona is a reflection of the blood flow in the tumor and is strongly related to the degree of differentiation of the tumor in HCC.
