AJR 2005; 184:75-81.
Lipson JA, Qayyum A, Avrin DE, Westphalen A, Yeh BM, Coakley FV.
Hepatic contour abnormalities are seen commonly on CT or MRI but I have received relatively little attention in the radiology literature compared with parenchymal hepatic disease. The objective of this pictorial essay is to provide a concise pictorial review of the causes and appearances of hepatic contour abnormalities on CT and MRI with an emphasis on clinical and imaging features that facilitate a correct diagnosis. Such a review is timely because new causes of liver contour abnormalities have been described recently [1], and the interpretation of such findings remains controversial. Intrinsic disorders of the liver that may cause contour abnormalities consist of hepatic tumors, cirrhosis, infarction, and vascular occlusion; treatment change also may cause contour abnormalities. Perihepatic diseases also may cause extrinsic alteration of the liver contour. Depending on the nature and extent of these disorders, the contour abnormality may be unifocal, multifocal, or diffuse. The mechanism of contour change also varies and may reflect focal expansion of the liver, capsular retraction, parenchymal distortion, capsular indentation, or some combination of these factors.