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.