Sonography in the diagnosis of hepatic artery aneurysms

Abstract

In five cases of hepatic artery aneurysms, the findings on sonography suggested the diagnosis or indicated the need for angiography.The intrahepatic aneurysms (four cases) were anechoic, well-circumscribed masses with good through transmission of sound. None were pulsatile, but flow within the mass was observed in one case. An intrahepatic mass adjacent to the aneurysm was identified in every case, representing hematoma in three and postoperative abscess in one. The sonogram in a patient with a common hepatic artery aneurysm (one case) showed a lobulated, pulsatile, anechoic mass within a pancreatic head pseudocyst. Sonography offers a noninvasive means of screening for this abnormality.

Idiopathic diffuse ectasia of the intrahepatic and extrahepatic arteries.

“…Increasingly they are discovered by ultrasonography and CT before rupture. 5,6 Treatment usually consists of hepatic artery reconstruction. 2 Our case is quite different because the dilatation is diffuse.…”

Pseudoaneurysms Complicating Organ Transplantation: Roles of CT, Duplex Sonography, and Angiography

“…CT has been reported useful in the diagnosis of splenic (16,17), hepatic (18)(19)(20)(21)(22), superior mesenteric (23), and gastroduodenal (24) artery aneurysms and PAs. Sonography has likewise proved useful in the diagnosis of splenic (25), hepatic (26)(27)(28)(29)(30), superior mesenteric (31,32), and celiac (33) artery aneurysms and PAs. In renal allografts PAs have traditionally been diagnosed with angiography, but they may also be detected with sonography (12,13) and CT (34).…”

Diagnosis of splanchnic artery aneurysms and pseudoaneurysms, with special reference to contrast enhanced 3D magnetic resonance angiography: a review

“…The excellent demonstration of co-existent stenoses is a further advantage of CT angiography. Use of gray scale and Doppler ultrasonography for the diagnosis of visceral aneurysms has previously been reported to demonstrate splanchnic artery aneurysm diagnosis with the same accuracy as seen in aortic aneurysms (1,8,11). Nevertheless, diagnosis of visceral aneurysms can be difficult on ultrasonography because of problems related with obesity, calcified wall, and limited spatial resolution (18,29).…”