CT staging of alveolar echinococcosis of the liver

The purpose of this study was to assess the usefulness of a new staging scheme for alveolar echinoccocosis un of the liver. A total of 28 patients with hepatic alveolar echinococcosis underwent CT examinations and were staged according to the proposed staging scheme (stage 1: lesion measuring less than 3 cm in diameter; stage 2: lesion greater than 3 cm, confined to less than three hepatic segments; stage 3 a: lesion with invasion of more than three hepatic segments; stage 3 b: invasion of liver hilum or suprahepatic vena cava; stage 4: invasion of surrounding organs and/or distant metastasis). Of the patients 16 underwent laparotomy, and results of the radiologic staging were correlated with surgical data. The CT findings correlated well with surgical findings. Patients were followed-up for a period of 6 months to 7 years. We concluded that the proposed staging scheme seemed to be useful for the therapeutic planning of patients with alveolar echinococcosis of the liver.