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Focal fat deposition in the liver: diagnostic challenges on imaging

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Abstract

While focal fat deposition in the liver mostly occurs in typical locations related to non-portal venous supply, unusual patterns of focal fat deposition, including multi-nodular, mass-like, and perivascular patterns, mimic malignancies and cause diagnostic challenges. Patients with unusual focal fat deposition often have potential underlying etiologies such as diabetes, alcohol abuse, metabolic disease, or various medications/chemotherapy. Some cases can be explained by non-portal venous supply or ischemia. Chemical-shift MRI or contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) is useful for non-invasive diagnosis of focal fat deposition. We illustrate a series of US, CT, and MR imaging features of focal fatty deposition in the liver mimicking other conditions and seek possible causes. Understanding of imaging patterns of focal fat deposition and its potential causes can help a non-invasive diagnosis by performing confirmatory imaging tests and prevent unnecessary invasive procedures.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Radiology and Research Institute of Radiology, Asan Medical Center, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, 88 Olympic-ro 43-gil, Songpa-gu, Seoul, 05505, Korea

    Jong Keon Jang & Jin Sil Kim

  2. Department of Medical Imaging, University Health Network, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada

    Hyun-Jung Jang & Tae Kyoung Kim

  3. Department of Medical Imaging, Toronto General Hospital, 585 University Avenue, Toronto, ON, M5G 2N2, Canada

    Tae Kyoung Kim

Authors
  1. Jong Keon Jang
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  2. Hyun-Jung Jang
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Correspondence to Tae Kyoung Kim.

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The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

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This article does not contain any studies with human participants or animals performed by any of the authors

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Jang, J.K., Jang, HJ., Kim, J.S. et al. Focal fat deposition in the liver: diagnostic challenges on imaging. Abdom Radiol 42, 1667–1678 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00261-017-1049-z

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00261-017-1049-z

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