No abstract available.
Adult ; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular/diagnosis/pathology/ultrasonography ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Female ; Humans ; Liver Neoplasms/diagnosis/pathology/ultrasonography ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Peliosis Hepatis/*diagnosis/pathology/ultrasonography ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed

PURPOSE: To assess the feasibility of using the FLAIR (fluid-attenuated inversion recovery)-HASTE (half-fourier acquisition single-shot turbo spin-echo) sequence for the differential diagnosis of focal hepatic lesions. MATERIALS AND METHODS: During a 12-month period, 80 patients with 127 focal hepatic lesions [hemangiomas (n=60), hepatocellular carcinomas (HCC) (n=27), cysts (n=25), and metastases (n=15)] underwent MR imaging using a 1.5-T scanner. Verification of the diagnosis was based on the findings of pathology (n=11), of angiography and clinical investigation (n=17), or of dynamic contrast-enhanced MR imaging (n=99). MR sequences included T2-weighted HASTE (TE, 134 ms; echo space, 4.4 ms), FLAIR-HASTE (TE, 64 ms; echo space, 4.4 ms; inversion time, 2000 ms; number of slices, 5 -9; acquisition time, 13 -20 s), and dynamic gadolinium-enhanced T1-weighted FLASH (TR, 131 ms; TE, 4 ms). FLAIR-HASTE imaging was of any focal lesions seen on T2-weighted HASTE images was performed in the liver area, and their signal intensity was classified in one of five ways: very high (higher than the spleen), moderately high (similar to the spleen), slightly high (higher than the liver and lower than the spleen), intermediate (similar to the liver), or low (lower than the liver). RESULTS: The signal intensity of the 25 cysts, as determined by FLAIR-HASTE, was low in 21 cases (84%), intermediate in three (12%), and very high in one (4%), which was diagnosed as a complicated cyst in which ultrasound revealed internal septa. At FLAIR-HASTE, all 60 hemangiomas showed either very high (n=50, 83%) or moderately high (n=10, 17%) signal intensity, while that of 42 hepatic malignant tumors was very high in 14 cases (33%), moderately high in 8 (19%), slightly high in 18 (43%), intermediate in one (2.5%), and low in one (2.5%). CONCLUSION: FLAIR-HASTE showed that the signal intensity of the majority of hepatic cysts was low, while that of most hemangiomas and solid liver tumors was high. For the differentiatial diagnosis of cystic and non-cystic liver lesions, FLAIR-HASTE is an easily applicable MR imaging sequence.
Angiography ; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular ; Diagnosis ; Diagnosis, Differential* ; Hemangioma ; Humans ; Liver ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Pathology ; Ultrasonography

Extrahepatic metastasis of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is occasionally seen in the lung, bone, adrenal gland, and lymph nodes. It is well known that HCC sometimes invades the biliary system. Since there is no peritoneum between the gallbladder and the liver fossa, a gallbladder cancer easily invades the liver; however, HCC seldom invades the gallbladder because it rarely destroys the muscle layer or the collagen fibers of the gallbladder wall. Routes of gallbladder metastasis of HCC include direct invasion, extension to the biliary system, and invasion of the adjacent hepatic vascular system. Some cases of gallbladder metastasis of HCC without direct invasion have been reported. We report here a case of HCC that directly invaded the gallbladder, and that resembled gallbladder carcinoma invading the liver.
Adult ; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular/*diagnosis/pathology/ultrasonography ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Gallbladder Neoplasms/diagnosis/*secondary ; Humans ; Liver Neoplasms/*diagnosis/pathology/ultrasonography ; Male ; Neoplasm Invasiveness ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed

Hepatocellular calcinoma (HCC) is the fifth most common cancer and the third leading cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide. It is important to diagnose HCC exactly before management is attempted. But, the clinical presentations and radiologic findings of liver abscess, HCC, and metastatic tumor to the liver may be quite similar, and procedures such as serum tumor marker assay, computerized tomography, and ultrasonography of the liver cannot make a specific diagnosis. We report a case of HCC successfully diagnosed by surgery which was misconceived as liver abscess and not improved by medical treatment.
Carcinoma, Hepatocellular/complications/*diagnosis/pathology ; Humans ; Liver/ultrasonography ; Liver Abscess/complications/*diagnosis/pathology ; Liver Neoplasms/complications/*diagnosis/pathology ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed

PURPOSE: To evaluate whether the presence of a peripheral echogenic rim surrounding internal low echogenicityis helpful in the diagnosis of atypical hepatic hemangioma. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Within a two-year period, aretrospective review of the sonographic appearances of 24 atypical hemangiomas in 21 patients was performed. Diagnosis was made by dynamic and delayed enhanced CT, MR imaging or clinical follow up for one year, including follow-up sonogram. The sonographic appearances of these hemangiomas were analyzed for pattern and thickness ofthe echogenic rim, internal echo pattern, shape, and size. Additionally, forty six lesions of hepatoma, metastasis, abscess and intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma confirmed by pathology within the same period were also evaluated for the presence of echogenic rim. RESULTS: Twenty-three of 24 lesions showed an echogenic rim ; these were thick in nine cases, and thin in 14 cases. The thickness of the rim was either uniform(n=10) or eccentric(n=13). The average maximum diameter of atypical hemangioma was 4.4cm (range of diameters, 1.5-12cm). The internal echo pattern was partially or entirely hypoechoic in 15 lesions, homogeneously isoechoic in three, and mixed insix cases. Twenty-one lesions were round, and the shape of three was irregular. The other forty six masses including hepatocellular carcinoma, metastases, cholangiocarcinoma and hepatic abscesses did not show an echogenicrim. CONCLUSIONS: The presence of a sonographic echogenic rim in a hepatic mass may help in the diagnosis ofhepatic hemangioma.
Abscess ; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular ; Cholangiocarcinoma ; Diagnosis ; Follow-Up Studies ; Hemangioma* ; Humans ; Liver Abscess ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Pathology ; Ultrasonography*

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a major health problem worldwide, and it has a poor prognosis. Extrahepatic metastasis from HCC is not unusual, with direct invasion representing the main spreading mode. Sites that are frequently involved are the lung, bone, and lymph nodes. There are few reports of HCC invading the distant gastrointestinal tract, especially hematogenously. Herein we report a case of sigmoid colon metastasis from HCC. The patient was diagnosed with HCC and treated with transcatheter arterial chemoembolization (TACE). Eighteen months after TACE the patient presented with abdominal pain on the left lower quadrant, and a CT scan showed an enhanced mass on the sigmoid colon. Immunohistochemical staining revealed that a tumor cell was positive for polyclonal carcinoembryonic antigen and weakly positive for hepatocyte antigen, supporting the diagnosis of HCC metastasis. The patient underwent anterior resection for the metastatic HCC.
Carcinoembryonic Antigen/metabolism ; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular/*diagnosis/pathology/*secondary ; Chemoembolization, Therapeutic ; Humans ; Liver Neoplasms/*pathology/therapy ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Sigmoid Neoplasms/*diagnosis/*secondary/ultrasonography ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed

Carcinoma, Hepatocellular ; diagnosis ; diagnostic imaging ; pathology ; Humans ; Liver Neoplasms ; diagnosis ; diagnostic imaging ; pathology ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed ; Ultrasonography

Breast cancer is a rare disease in men. We report a case of 53-year-old obese male, with known cryptogenic cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma, presenting a tender mass on left breast. He was diagnosed with invasive intraductal carcinoma, which was consistent with a sporadic lesion. On the basis of previous literatures, obesity can be regarded as a cause for breast cancer even in men. However, there has been inconsistent data about link between liver cirrhosis and male breast cancer, which can be due to heterogenity in the etiology of cirrhosis. Through this case, it can be postulated that the risk for male breast cancer may vary according to the etiology of cirrhosis.
Breast Neoplasms, Male/*etiology/secondary/ultrasonography ; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular/diagnosis/pathology ; Humans ; Immunohistochemistry ; Liver Cirrhosis/complications/*diagnosis/pathology ; Liver Neoplasms/diagnosis/pathology ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Receptors, Estrogen/metabolism ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed

We report on a case of a 57-year-old male who underwent a curative resection for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) with histological confirmation of a spontaneously necrotized tumor. Initial serum AFP level was 4,778 ng/mL. A 3.7 cm hyperechoic mass in segment 6 of the liver was observed on ultrasonography and dynamic contrast-enhanced liver MRI showed a 3.7x3.1 cm sized HCC. He was scheduled to undergo curative surgical resection under the clinical diagnosis of an early stage HCC (Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer stage A). Without treatment, the serum AFP level declined rapidly to 50 ng/mL over five weeks. He underwent curative wedge resection of segment 6 of the liver. Histology revealed complete necrosis of the mass rimmed by inflamed fibrous capsule on a background of HBV-related cirrhosis with infiltration of lymphoplasma cells. Exact pathophysiology underlying this event is unknown. Among the proposed mechanisms of spontaneous neoplastic remission of HCC, circulatory disturbance and activation of host immune response offer the most scientific explanation for the complete histologic necrosis of HCC in the resected mass seen in our patient.
Carcinoma, Hepatocellular/*diagnosis/diagnostic imaging/pathology ; Hepatitis B/complications/diagnosis ; Humans ; Liver/diagnostic imaging/pathology ; Liver Cirrhosis/etiology ; Liver Neoplasms/*diagnosis/diagnostic imaging/pathology ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Necrosis ; Radiography ; Remission, Spontaneous ; Ultrasonography ; alpha-Fetoproteins/analysis

No abstract available.
Adenocarcinoma/*diagnosis/pathology ; Aged ; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular/diagnosis ; Humans ; Immunohistochemistry ; Liver Neoplasms/*radiography/secondary/ultrasonography ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Male ; Stomach Neoplasms/*diagnosis/pathology ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed ; alpha-Fetoproteins/analysis