Complications of Hydatid Cysts of the Liver: Spiral Computed Tomography Findings

BACKGROUND The purpose of this retrospective study is to evaluate the role of Spiral Computed Tomography (CT) in the detection of the complications of hepatic hydatid cysts. METHODS During a period of 8 years and after establishing the diagnosis of numerous hydatid cysts, 7 patients with complications of hydatid cysts were found. These 7 patients (5 females, 2 males, mean age 74.2 years, range 63 - 92 years) were studied. Four of them had a known medical history of hydatid disease, while all of them presented to our department as emergency cases. RESULTS They underwent Spiral CT which revealed the following complications of hydatid cysts: intrabiliary rupture in 2 patients, rupture into the peritoneal cavity resulting to peritonitis in 1 patient, contained rupture and secondary transdiaphragmatic thoracic rupture in 1 patient, rupture into both biliary tract and hepatic subcapsular space in 1 patient, rupture into the subcapsular hepatic space in 1 patient and secondary bacterial infection of the cyst resulting to abscess formation in 1 patient. All of these CT findings were surgically confirmed. CONCLUSIONS CT provided a rapid and accurate diagnosis in all of these cases and proved to be a very useful preoperative imaging method.