Differentiating biliary cystadenomas from benign hepatic cysts: Preliminary analysis of new predictive imaging features.

OBJECTIVE: To identify performance of imaging features in differentiating hepatic cysts from biliary cystadenomas of the liver.

METHODS: 25 pathologically confirmed hepatic cystic lesions (hepatic cysts or biliary cystadenomas) were evaluated retrospectively and predetermined imaging features assessed for performance in differentiation.

RESULTS: Any septation which arose from a cyst wall without external indentation had a very high association with biliary cystadenoma, while the presence of a thick septation had only a moderate association.

CONCLUSIONS: The relationship between septations and the wall of the cystic lesion performed better than previously reported features including thick septations.