Hepatobiliary fascioliasis: imaging characteristics with a new finding. 2009

Zafer Koç, and Serife Ulusan, and Naime Tokmak
Department of Radiology, Başkent University School of Medicine, Adana, Turkey. koczafer@gmail.com

OBJECTIVE The aim of this study was to present the imaging characteristics of patients with hepatobiliary fascioliasis and describe a new imaging finding. METHODS Imaging and clinical findings of five patients diagnosed with hepatobiliary fascioliasis were retrospectively evaluated. All patients were examined by abdominal ultrasonography (US) and computed tomography (CT); two were additionally evaluated by abdominal magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography (MRCP), and endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP). Diagnosis was confirmed by serology and parasitology tests in all patients. RESULTS Presenting complaints were abdominal pain in four patients, with fever in one of the four. All patients also had eosinophilia and abnormal liver function tests. In all patients, US examinations showed multiple hypoechoic nodules or parenchyma heterogeneity. CT examinations showed linear or branching, and nodular hypodense lesions in the liver. As a new imaging finding, hyperdense materials were identified in the dilated bile duct in one patient. MRI showed T1 hypo and T2 hyperintense areas of liver parenchyma in two patients, with peripheral enhancement in one of them. Filling defects and dilation of the intra-extrahepatic bile ducts were identified by US and MRCP in two patients. In these two patients Fasciola flukes were removed by ERCP. Medical treatment (triclabendazole) was successful in all patients. CONCLUSIONS Hepatobiliary fascioliasis is a rare disease which may have typical imaging findings in the liver and bile ducts as seen in our patients. Imaging characteristics with clinical findings may have a diagnostic clue especially in endemic areas.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D008099 Liver A large lobed glandular organ in the abdomen of vertebrates that is responsible for detoxification, metabolism, synthesis and storage of various substances. Livers
D008297 Male Males
D008875 Middle Aged An adult aged 45 - 64 years. Middle Age
D005210 Fasciola hepatica A species of helminth commonly called the sheep liver fluke. It occurs in the biliary passages, liver, and gallbladder during various stages of development. Snails and aquatic vegetation are the intermediate hosts. Occasionally seen in man, it is most common in sheep and cattle. Liver Fluke,Fasciola hepaticas,Fluke, Liver,Flukes, Liver,Liver Flukes,hepatica, Fasciola
D005211 Fascioliasis Liver disease caused by infections with parasitic flukes of the genus FASCIOLA, such as FASCIOLA HEPATICA. Fasciola Infection,Fasciola Infections,Fascioliases,Infection, Fasciola,Infections, Fasciola
D005260 Female Females
D005334 Fever An abnormal elevation of body temperature, usually as a result of a pathologic process. Pyrexia,Fevers,Pyrexias
D006801 Humans Members of the species Homo sapiens. Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D000328 Adult A person having attained full growth or maturity. Adults are of 19 through 44 years of age. For a person between 19 and 24 years of age, YOUNG ADULT is available. Adults
D000818 Animals Unicellular or multicellular, heterotrophic organisms, that have sensation and the power of voluntary movement. Under the older five kingdom paradigm, Animalia was one of the kingdoms. Under the modern three domain model, Animalia represents one of the many groups in the domain EUKARYOTA. Animal,Metazoa,Animalia

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