CT liver is prescribed to detect focal and diffuse organ lesions: cirrhosis, cysts, abscesses, concretions, injuries and wounds, primary tumors, metastatic foci, portal vein thrombi. The study is indispensable before planning a surgical intervention on the liver, monitoring the ongoing treatment. Layered X-ray imaging with digital three-dimensional reconstruction of sections allows you to examine in detail the liver parenchyma, gallbladder and ducts, regional lymph nodes, vessels.
A liver CT scan is performed as an additional examination to clarify a previously made diagnosis, or as an independent study. There are a number of symptoms in which a liver CT scan is urgently needed.
- Identification of the causes of jaundice and diffuse ailments. Jaundice is a complex of symptoms in which the skin and mucous membranes of the patient acquire a yellow hue. This is due to the large amount of bilirubin in the blood. Jaundice most often appears in various pathologies of the liver, its viral or toxic damage. To determine the cause of jaundice, a liver CT scan is often prescribed.
- Examination of the formation seen on ultrasound. Since most liver ailments are asymptomatic, they are most often diagnosed during routine examination, ultrasound examination or other types of diagnostics. Such methods, as a rule, do not provide exhaustive information, therefore, a liver CT is prescribed to clarify the diagnosis.
- Suspected cirrhosis or hepatitis. Cirrhosis is considered the most terrible diffusive disease affecting the liver. The disease provokes viral hepatitis or prolonged intoxication. In cirrhosis, liver cells are replaced by fibrous tissue cells. The disease causes irreversible changes in the liver, so its early diagnosis significantly increases the patient’s chance of survival. With cirrhosis, the liver increases or decreases in size, becomes more dense and bumpy. These changes are perfectly visible on the computed tomography of the liver.
- Determination of the trend of metastases in cancer. For the diagnosis of oncological diseases, a CT scan of the liver with contrast is usually used. The malignant tumor and its metastases have a density different from the surrounding tissues, which varies depending on the stage of the disease. Therefore, a CT scan of the liver with contrast gives the most complete information about the tumor and metastases.
- Assessment of the liver condition before and after surgery. A CT scan of the liver allows a specialist to accurately determine the size of the organ and the degree of damage, localize the pathology and plan the operation. After surgery, liver CT data provide comprehensive information about the course of recovery.
It is enough to abstain from eating for 6 hours before the procedure. When prescribing a CT scan of the liver with contrast, the preparation for the study consists in the fact that a contrasting drug is administered intravenously to the patient.
Methodology of conducting
During the examination, the patient lies on a special table, along which the tomograph ring moves. CT liver does not cause painful or unpleasant sensations, the only inconvenience is that the patient must spend the entire examination motionless.
When an ordinary CT scan of the liver does not give a clear clinical picture, contrast is used. A special preparation makes the images more contrasting, allowing you to increase their clarity and resolution. Often, a CT scan of the liver with contrast is used to diagnose oncological diseases, localize metastases, and determine the stage of cirrhosis.
Computed tomography is considered a safe non-invasive technique. However, liver CT has a number of contraindications.
- Pregnancy. During tomography, the patient’s body is exposed to a small amount of ionizing radiation, which may pose some risk to fetal development. Therefore, a liver CT scan for pregnant women is done only in exceptional cases.
- Lactation. Nursing mothers do not have a CT scan of the liver with contrast, because the contrasting substance can get into the milk. The usual examination on a tomograph during lactation is carried out only as prescribed by the attending physician.
- Young age (up to 15 years). It has been established that radiation has a much stronger effect on the child’s body than on the body of an adult. Therefore, even such an almost harmless procedure as a liver CT scan for children under 15 is recommended only in case of urgent need.
- Severe renal-hepatic insufficiency. Severe renal-hepatic insufficiency can lead to an acute reaction to the contrast agent. Therefore, patients with such a disease are contraindicated by CT liver with contrast.
- Hyperfunction or exacerbation of chronic thyroid disease. Iodine in the contrast agent can lead to a malfunction in the metabolism of thyroid hormones. Therefore, CT with contrast in hyperfunction or exacerbation of chronic thyroid disease can be done only after its treatment.
- Some forms of diabetes mellitus. Before performing a CT with contrast, a patient with diabetes mellitus must necessarily consult a specialist. The contrast agent makes it difficult to remove metformin from the body, which is used in the treatment of diabetes mellitus. According to the doctor’s prescription, the patient can perform a CT with contrast, but after the procedure he will have to stop taking metformin for two days.