Liver metastases on imaging often appear as which type of lesion on CT?

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Multiple Choice

Liver metastases on imaging often appear as which type of lesion on CT?

Liver metastases on CT are typically hypoattenuating lesions, meaning they appear darker than the surrounding normal liver tissue. This happens because metastatic tumor tissue replaces normal hepatocytes and often lacks the same vascular enhancement, so during contrast phases the metastases remain relatively low in attenuation compared with the enhanced liver. While small lesions can be isodense early on, the classic finding is a darker, hypoattenuating area. Hyperattenuating lesions would be unusually dense for metastases, calcifications can occur in some treated or particular histologies but are not the norm, and cavitation is not a typical feature of most hepatic metastases.

Liver metastases on CT are typically hypoattenuating lesions, meaning they appear darker than the surrounding normal liver tissue. This happens because metastatic tumor tissue replaces normal hepatocytes and often lacks the same vascular enhancement, so during contrast phases the metastases remain relatively low in attenuation compared with the enhanced liver. While small lesions can be isodense early on, the classic finding is a darker, hypoattenuating area. Hyperattenuating lesions would be unusually dense for metastases, calcifications can occur in some treated or particular histologies but are not the norm, and cavitation is not a typical feature of most hepatic metastases.

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