This study was undertaken to evaluate the association between the appearance of hypodense hepatic nodules on dynamic CT images and acute alcoholic hepatitis in patients with alcoholic cirrhosis. Sixty-two patients (male:female=57:5, mean age=51.4±10.9 years) with alcoholic cirrhosis were included. Patients were divided into 3 groups; group A (nodules, n=23), group B (fatty liver < 40 Hounsfield unit (HU) without nodules, n=18), and group C (control, n=21). Liver nodules in Group A had characteristic low density during pre- and all post-contrast phases versus liver parenchyma and fewer or complete resolution of nodules on follow up CT after alcohol withdrawal. Densities (HU) of nodules and hepatic parenchyma, ascites scores, and laboratory values were analyzed. Mean densities of hepatic parenchyma in groups A and B were significantly lower than in the control group. Serum bilirubin, AST (aspartate transaminase), ALT (alanine transaminase), PT (prothrombin time), and ascites scores were significantly higher in group A than in the other two groups. As numbers of liver nodules increased nodules’ attenuation decreased. Mean serum AST and ALT were higher in patients with many nodules than in patients with few nodules. Hypodense hepatic nodules in alcoholic steatohepatitis in patients with alcoholic cirrhosis are probably benign nodules resulting from focal steatosis or hepatocellular necrosis rather than metastases.

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the changes of liver and gallbladder in patients with acute hepatitis A during transabdominal ultrasonography (US). In this study, we included 61 patients with acute hepatitis A and 50 controls. Wall thickness and lumen diameter of gallbladder were measured for determined the mural edema and hypertonicity of gallbladder. To evaluate the hepatic size and stiffness, two sagittal images of the left lobe of the liver were obtained during the resting state (resting image) and at full inspiration (stress image). The elongation rate was calculated by a formula: (L2-L1/L1)×100 (%); where L1 and L2 are the length of the liver for both the resting and stress image. The elongation rate was compared between controls and patients with acute hepatitis A. The wall thickness and lumen diameter of gallbladder were 7.0±3.5mm, 10.2±9.9mm, respectively. In 21 cases (34%), the lumen of gallbladder was collapsed. The mean diameter of left lobe in patients with acute hepatitis A (10.3±1.4cm)was larger than that of controls (8.2±1.1cm). The elongation rate in patients with acute hepatitis A (8.0±8.8%) was smaller than that of controls (25.5±13.4%). Robust US findings in patients with acute hepatitis A were edematous gallbladder with collapse and hepatomegaly with stiffness.

We report on a rare case of a 26-year-old man with neurofibromatosis type I who presented with cramping abdominal pain caused by stones within a horseshoe kidney. He also showed extensive neurofibromas in his neck, thorax, and abdominopel-vic cavity. He had undergone excision of a subcutaneous neurofibroma from his left flank a few years prior. Treatment by extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy (ESWL) was administered twice. Stones were removed completely and his symptoms were resolved.

In this study, we identified 26 cases scheduled for lower extremity computed tomography (CT) angiography who had implanted metal devices. These CT exams were performed for evaluation of patients' symptoms related with gait disturbance. CT scans were performed on 128-MDCT using our standard parameters. The row image data were reconstructed using two different methods, standard filtered backprojection (FBP) algorithm and the metal artifact reduction for orthopedic implants (O-MAR) algorithm. Images were evaluated with 3-point scales. The difference of image scores for FBP (1.5±0.81) and OMAR (1.92±0.79) was significant (p<0.05). O-MAR reconstruction significantly improved quality of CT angiography for patients with metal implants.