
Health Dictionary
Reliable, easy-to-read patient information on common medical conditions β written in plain language, free of jargon, and grounded in current evidence. Browse the most frequent diagnoses, understand what they mean for everyday life, and learn which steps and questions help you have a focused conversation with your doctor.
Pyogenic liver abscess CT
Introduction
Overview
Overview
CT scan findings of pyogenic liver abscess include peripherally enhancing and centrally hypo attenuating lesions, solid or gas in the lesions (gas in the form of bubbles or air fluid levels), segmental, wedge-shaped or circumferential perfusion abnormalities, early enhancement may be seen on contrast enhanced CT scans, the double target sign and cluster sign (shown below).[1][2][3][4]
CT Scan
CT Scan
CT scan findings of pyogenic liver abscess include:[1][2][3][4]
- Peripherally enhancing and centrally hypo attenuating lesions
- Solid or gas in the lesions (gas in the form of bubbles or air fluid levels)
- Segmental, wedge-shaped or circumferential perfusion abnormalities, with early enhancement, may be seen
- On contrast enhanced CT scans, the double target sign is a characteristic imaging feature of liver abscess
- Double target sign:
- Central low attenuation lesion (fluid filled) is surrounded by a high attenuation inner rim and a low attenuation outer ring
- The inner ring (abscess membrane) indicates early contrast enhancement which persists on delayed images, in contrast to the outer rim (edema of the liver parenchyma) which only enhances on delayed phase
- Cluster sign (shown below):
- Feature of pyogenic liver abscess
- Aggregation of multiple low attenuation liver lesions in a localized area to form a solitary larger abscess cavity
References
References
- β 1.0 1.1 BΓ€chler P, Baladron MJ, Menias C, Beddings I, Loch R, Zalaquett E; et al. (2016). “Multimodality Imaging of Liver Infections: Differential Diagnosis and Potential Pitfalls”. Radiographics. 36 (4): 1001β23. doi:10.1148/rg.2016150196. PMIDΒ 27232504.
- β 2.0 2.1 Lee TY, Wan YL, Tsai CC (1994). “Gas-containing liver abscess: radiological findings and clinical significance”. Abdom Imaging. 19 (1): 47β52. PMIDΒ 8161903.
- β 3.0 3.1 Mathieu D, Vasile N, Fagniez PL, Segui S, Grably D, LardΓ© D (1985). “Dynamic CT features of hepatic abscesses”. Radiology. 154 (3): 749β52. doi:10.1148/radiology.154.3.3969480. PMIDΒ 3969480.
- β 4.0 4.1 Jeffrey RB, Tolentino CS, Chang FC, Federle MP (1988). “CT of small pyogenic hepatic abscesses: the cluster sign”. AJR Am J Roentgenol. 151 (3): 487β9. doi:10.2214/ajr.151.3.487. PMIDΒ 3261506.
Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1];Associate Editor(s)-in-Chief: Yamuna Kondapally, M.B.B.S[2]
