Study of Common Hepatic Lesions in Sudanese Patients Using Computed Tomography

Abstract

Background and Aim: This study was designed with an aim to determine and study the incidence of common hepatic lesions occur in Sudanese patients whom presents at the Radiology and Ultrasound Department of Fedail Hospital at Khartoum, when the liver is investigated using computed tomography (CT) modality. Methodology: For CT of liver, instrument used was CT Siemens Somatom; scanner features include 70 cm aperture, and field of view (FOV) of 50 cm and a patient table that can hold patients up to 440 pounds. Also it offers reconstructed on the fly with up to 16 slices per second. Data were initially summarized into means, standard deviations (SD); mean ± SD and percentages in a form of comparison tables and graphs. Statistical analysis was performed using Microsoft Excel Software and the Standard Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) version 15 for windows. Results: Out of 125 examined samples [mean age of 46.7 ± 2.5 years; male to female ratio of 3:2]. 10.4% were primary hepatic malignancies and 21.6% were metastatic tumor to the liver while 41.4% are benign lesions included 1.6% cases of liver abscess, fatty fibrotic changes, adenoma, haemengioma and hepatic calcifications. Beside 2.4% solitary or multiple cystic lesions and 4% were liver cirrhosis. Conclusion: In conclusion, liver CT enables detection and characterization of a large variety of focal liver lesions, including the benign and malignant liver lesions that occur most frequently, also in the presence of different pathologic conditions and multilevel disease. Metastatic liver lesions and liver cirrhosis were the commonest hepatic lesions detected in Sudanese patients.