The fatty liver: pitfalls of the CT and angiographic evaluation of metastatic disease.

Five patients with known primary malignancy demonstrated fatty infiltration of the liver on routine computed tomography (CT) examination. Within the diffuse fatty infiltration were focal areas of relatively increased beam attenuation in four cases. These areas of increased beam attenuation are nonspecific as to etiology. Their differential diagnosis is discussed. Since the true extent of the neoplastic process may be underestimated by conventional CT and celiac angiography, superselective angiography, computed angiotomography, or biopsy is required to accurately assess the etiology and the extent of the disease.