MR imaging in sclerosing hepatic carcinoma -A case report

Sclerosing hepatic carcinoma (SHC) is a rare type of primary hepatic carcinoma that is characterized by abundant fibrous stroma separating cords of neoplastic cells. To our knowledge, the magnetic resonance (MR) findings is SHC have not been reported. We presented a case in which a possible characteristic MR imaging appearance of SHC was demonstrated. The patient was a 62-year-old male. Ultrasonography showed a tumor, 4cm in diameter, in the right hepatic lobe. On the early phase of the dynamic MR imaging, only the peripheral part of the tumor was enhanced, whereas the central part of the tumor was gradually enhanced during the late phase. Since these findings suggested the diagnosis of atypical hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), hepatectomy was carried out. Histologically, the tumor consisted of two parts. The peripheral part of the tumor was HCC with slight fibrosis, and the central part consisted of intense fibrosis in which neoplastic structures were embedded. Histological diagnosis was SHC. Dynamic MR imaging appeared to be valuable for suggesting the fibrous component of SHC.