Added value of contrast enhancement boost images in routine multiphasic contrast-enhanced CT for the diagnosis of small (<20 mm) hypervascular hepatocellular carcinoma.

Purpose: To investigate the added value of contrast enhancement boost (CE-boost) images in multiphasic contrast-enhanced CT (CE-CT) for diagnosing small (<20 mm) hypervascular hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).

Materials And Methods: This retrospective study included 69 patients (age, 74 ± 8 years; 52 men) with 70 hypervascular HCCs (<20 mm) who underwent multiphasic CE-CT (pre-contrast, late arterial phase [LAP], portal venous phase [PVP], and equilibrium phase). Two types of CE-boost images were generated by subtracting PVP from LAP (LA-PV) images and LAP from PVP (PV-LA) images to enhance the contrast effect of hepatic arterial and portal venous perfusion more selectively.