scholarly journals Hepatocellular Carcinoma: Diagnosis and Surveillance

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Aditya Kale

Hepatocellular carcinoma arises commonly on the background of liver cirrhosis. Patients presenting with clinical symptoms have advanced stage and often are unsuitable for curative therapies. Diagnosis of hepatocellular carcinoma is commonly performed by multiphase computed tomography (CT) and / or magnetic resonance imag¬ing scans (MRI). Contrast enhanced ultrasound and MRI with hepatobiliary contrast agents are better in characterizing small lesions. Tumor markers play an adjunct role in diagnosis. For HCC in cirrhotic liver biopsy is seldom required and diagnosis is based on typical imaging features of non-rim arterial phase hyperenhancement and washout on delayed phase and pseudocapsule appearance. This is due to differential blood supply of liver parenchyma, regenerative nodules and tumor. Biopsy is only required in noncirrhotic liver, vascular liver diseases, atypical imaging features. Surveillance programs involving high risk groups can help in early detection of lesions which are amenable for curative therapies. Biannual ultrasound with or without alfa fetoprotein are commonly used surveillance tests. Multidisciplinary teams provide platform for care coordination, reassessments of clinical course, and fine changes in treatment plans required for management of this complex group of patients.

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lu Huang ◽  
Lijian Lu

Objectives: The aim of the present study was to describe the computed tomography (CT) characteristics of primary liver carcinosarcoma (PLCS) and to explore the pathological basis for the diagnosis of primary hepatocellular carcinoma sarcoma.Methods: Three male patients with PLCS were included in the present retrospective research, and the age was ranged from 52 to 63 years. The plain CT scan and third-stage enhancement scan were performed on patients. The pathological characteristics were analyzed. Stomachache was the main clinical symptoms of the three patients. Cirrhosis background was confirmed in one patients, and chronic Hepatitis B background was confirmed in other two patients.Results: According to the results of CT, the inner diameter of the tumors ranged from 8.6 to 27.0 cm. The fibrous pseudocapsule around the tumor tissues was observed in two patients. Tumor tissues from all three patients were composed of sarcomatous and carcinomatous components. For carcinomatous components, hepatocellular carcinoma was observed in one patient and cholangiocarcinoma was observed in the other two patients. For sarcomatous components, angiosarcoma was observed in two patients and malignant fibrous histiocytoma was observed in another one patient. The tumor tissues were visualized as heterogeneous low density with large sheets of necrotic cystic lesions or thick-walled areas of multilocular cystic lesions using the plain CT scan. Edge-to-center filling and strengthening lesions, mild to moderate enhanced parenchyma at the arterial phase, and isodensity between the tumor parenchyma and the surrounding liver parenchyma at the portal vein phase or delayed phase were observed using the third-stage enhancement scan.Conclusions: CT characteristics observed in the present study were of great benefit for the diagnosis of PLCS.


2018 ◽  
Vol 2018 ◽  
pp. 1-9 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mengqi Huang ◽  
Bing Liao ◽  
Ping Xu ◽  
Huasong Cai ◽  
Kun Huang ◽  
...  

Objective. To investigate the imaging features observed in preoperative Gd-EOB-DTPA-dynamic enhanced MRI and correlated with the presence of microvascular invasion (MVI) in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients. Methods. 66 HCCs in 60 patients with preoperative Gd-EOB-DTPA-dynamic enhanced MRI were retrospectively analyzed. Features including tumor size, signal homogeneity, tumor capsule, tumor margin, peritumor enhancement during mid-arterial phase, peritumor hypointensity during hepatobiliary phase, signal intensity ratio on DWI and apparent diffusion coefficients (ADC), T1 relaxation times, and the reduction rate between pre- and postcontrast enhancement images were assessed. Correlation between these features and histopathological presence of MVI was analyzed to establish a prediction model. Results. Histopathology confirmed that MVI were observed in 17 of 66 HCCs. Univariate analysis showed tumor size (p=0.003), margin (p=0.013), peritumor enhancement (p=0.001), and hypointensity during hepatobiliary phase (p=0.004) were associated with MVI. A multiple logistic regression model was established, which showed tumor size, margin, and peritumor enhancement were combined predictors for the presence of MVI (α=0.1). R2 of this prediction model was 0.353, and the sensitivity and specificity were 52.9% and 93.0%, respectively. Conclusion. Large tumor size, irregular tumor margin, and peritumor enhancement in preoperative Gd-EOB-DTPA-dynamic enhanced MRI can predict the presence of MVI in HCC.


2017 ◽  
Vol 50 (1) ◽  
pp. 38-47 ◽  
Author(s):  
Miguel Ramalho ◽  
António P. Matos ◽  
Mamdoh AlObaidy ◽  
Fernanda Velloni ◽  
Ersan Altun ◽  
...  

Abstract Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is the modern gold standard for the noninvasive evaluation of the cirrhotic liver. The combination of arterial phase hyperenhancement and delayed wash-out allows a definitive diagnosis of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in patients with liver cirrhosis or chronic liver disease, without the requirement for confirmatory biopsy. That pattern is highly specific and has been endorsed in Western and Asian diagnostic guidelines. However, the sensitivity of the combination is relatively low for small HCCs. In this two-part review paper, we will address MRI of the cirrhotic liver. In this first part, we provide a brief background on liver cirrhosis and HCC, followed by descriptions of imaging surveillance of liver cirrhosis and the diagnostic performance of the different imaging modalities used in clinical settings. We then describe some of the requirements for the basic MRI technique, as well as the standard MRI protocol, and provide a detailed description of the appearance of various types of hepatocellular nodules encountered in the setting of the carcinogenic pathway in the cirrhotic liver, ranging from regenerative nodules to HCC.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Li-Ming Huang ◽  
Jun-Yi Wu ◽  
Yan-Nan Bai ◽  
Jia-Yi Wu ◽  
Yong-Gang Wei ◽  
...  

Abstract Background: There are still difficult and challenging problems in diagnosis of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) with bile duct tumor thrombus (BDTT) before operation. This study aimed to analyze the imaging features of HCC with B1-B3 BDTT. Methods: The clinicopathological data and imaging findings of 30 HCC patients with B1-B3 BDTT from three high-volume institutions were retrospectively reviewed. Eighteen patients underwent computed tomography (CT) scans and twelve patients underwent magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans before operation, respectively. The diagnosis of HCC with BDTT was confirmed by postoperative pathologic examination.Results: According to Japanese classification, 5 patients were classified as B1 BDTT, 12 B2, 13 B3, and 82 B4, respectively. The HCC lesions were detected in all patients, and the localized bile duct dilation were detected in 28 (93.3%) patients. The BDTT was observed in all B3 patients and 3 B2 patients, but it was not observed in all B1 patients on CT or MRI. The BDTT showed relatively hypoattenuation on plain CT scans and T1W images, relatively hyperattenuation signals on T2W. The BDTT showed hyperattenuation at hepatic arterial phase with washout at portal venous phase. The localized biliary dilation showed no enhancement at hepatic arterial phase and no progressively delayed enhancement at portal venous phase, but it was more obvious at portal venous phase on CT.Conclusions: The HCC lesions and the localized bile duct dilatation on CT or MRI scans are imaging features of HCC with BDTT, which might facilitate the early diagnosis for B1-B3 BDTT.


2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Shu-Cheng Liu ◽  
Jesyin Lai ◽  
Jhao-Yu Huang ◽  
Chia-Fong Cho ◽  
Pei Hua Lee ◽  
...  

Abstract Background The accuracy of estimating microvascular invasion (MVI) preoperatively in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) by clinical observers is low. Most recent studies constructed MVI predictive models utilizing radiological and/or radiomics features extracted from computed tomography (CT) images. These methods, however, rely heavily on human experiences and require manual tumor contouring. We developed a deep learning-based framework for preoperative MVI prediction by using CT images of arterial phase (AP) with simple tumor labeling and without the need of manual feature extraction. The model was further validated on CT images that were originally scanned at multiple different hospitals. Methods CT images of AP were acquired for 309 patients from China Medical University Hospital (CMUH). Images of 164 patients, who took their CT scanning at 54 different hospitals but were referred to CMUH, were also collected. Deep learning (ResNet-18) and machine learning (support vector machine) models were constructed with AP images and/or patients’ clinical factors (CFs), and their performance was compared systematically. All models were independently evaluated on two patient cohorts: validation set (within CMUH) and external set (other hospitals). Subsequently, explainability of the best model was visualized using gradient-weighted class activation map (Grad-CAM). Results The ResNet-18 model built with AP images and patients’ clinical factors was superior than other models achieving a highest AUC of 0.845. When evaluating on the external set, the model produced an AUC of 0.777, approaching its performance on the validation set. Model interpretation with Grad-CAM revealed that MVI relevant imaging features on CT images were captured and learned by the ResNet-18 model. Conclusions This framework provide evidence showing the generalizability and robustness of ResNet-18 in predicting MVI using CT images of AP scanned at multiple different hospitals. Attention heatmaps obtained from model explainability further confirmed that ResNet-18 focused on imaging features on CT overlapping with the conditions used by radiologists to estimate MVI clinically.


2021 ◽  
Vol 11 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jun-Yi Wu ◽  
Li-Ming Huang ◽  
Yan-Nan Bai ◽  
Jia-Yi Wu ◽  
Yong-Gang Wei ◽  
...  

ObjectivesThere are still challenging problems in diagnosis of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) with bile duct tumor thrombus (BDTT) before operation. This study aimed to analyze the imaging features of HCC with B1–B3 BDTT.Materials and MethodsThe clinicopathological data and imaging findings of 30 HCC patients with B1–B3 BDTT from three high-volume institutions were retrospectively reviewed. A total of 631 patients without BDTT who were randomly collected from each of the enrolled centers were recorded as the control group to analyze the differences in clinicopathological characteristics and imaging features between the two groups. A total of 453 HCC patients who underwent surgical treatment in the three institutions from January 2020 to December 2020 were collected for a blinded reading test as the validation group.ResultsHCC patients with B1–B3 BDTT had more advanced tumor stages and adverse clinicopathological features. HCC lesions were detected in all patients, and intrahepatic bile duct dilation was observed in 28 (93.3%) patients with B1–B3 BDTT and 9 (1.43%) patients in HCC without BDTT. The intrahepatic bile duct dilation showed no enhancement at hepatic arterial phase (HAP) and no progressively delayed enhancement at portal venous phase (PVP), but it was more obvious at PVP on CT. In the reports of the 30 HCC patients with B1–B3 BDTT generated for the image when the scan was done, BDTT was observed in all 13 B3 patients and 3 of 12 B2 patients, but none of the 5 B1 patients. Fourteen patients were misdiagnosed before surgery. However, when using intrahepatic bile duct dilation in HCC patients as a potential biomarker for BDTT diagnosis, the sensitivity and specificity for BDTT diagnosis were 93.33% and 98.57%, respectively. The blinded reading test showed that intrahepatic bile duct dilation in CT and MRI scans could be for separating HCC patients with B1–B3 BDTT from HCC patients without BDTT.ConclusionsThe HCC lesions and intrahepatic bile duct dilation on CT or MRI scans are imaging features of HCC with BDTT, which might facilitate the early diagnosis of B1–B3 BDTT.


Author(s):  
Tiantian Fu ◽  
Hong Ding ◽  
Chen Xu ◽  
Yuli Zhu ◽  
Liyun Xue ◽  
...  

BACKGROUND: Fibrolamellar hepatocellular carcinoma (FLHCC) is an unusual variant of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Revealing the imaging features is important to the diagnosis of FLHCC. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to investigate the imaging characteristics of FLHCCs. METHODS: This retrospective study included 29 patients with histopathologically proved FLHCC and 96 patients proved HCC. All patients underwent an ultrasound examination pre-operation. RESULTS: The average maximum diameters of the FLHCC and HCC lesions were 7.4±4.1 cm and 4.1±3.0 cm, respectively. On the ultrasound, 79.3% of the FLHCCs and 12.3% of the HCCs showed the internal hyperechoic area; 48.3% of the FLHCCs and 3.3% of the HCCs displayed a strip-like attenuation. Calcification was noted in 20.7% of the FLHCCs, while none in HCCs. On the contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS), all FLHCC lesions and 87.7% of the HCCs displayed hyperenhancement in the arterial phase. An internal, unenhanced central scar appeared in all FLHCCs, while none in HCCs. CONCLUSIONS: The ultrasonographic features of FLHCC lesions indicate that they are relatively large masses showing the internal hyperechoic area or strip-like attenuation or calcification on the US and hypervascularity with an unenhanced central scar on the CEUS as compared with conventional HCC lesions.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Li-Ming Huang ◽  
Jun-Yi Wu ◽  
Yan-Nan Bai ◽  
Jia-Yi Wu ◽  
Yong-Gang Wei ◽  
...  

Abstract Background: There are still difficult and challenging problems in diagnosis of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) with bile duct tumor thrombus (BDTT) before operation. This study aimed to analyze the imaging features of HCC with B1-B3 BDTT. Methods: The clinicopathological data and imaging findings of 30 HCC patients with B1-B3 BDTT from three high-volume institutions were retrospectively reviewed. Eighteen patients underwent computed tomography (CT) scans and twelve patients underwent magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans before operation, respectively. The diagnosis of HCC with BDTT was confirmed by postoperative pathologic examination.Results: According to Japanese classification, 5 patients were classified as B1 BDTT, 12 B2, 13 B3, and 82 B4, respectively. The HCC lesions were detected in all patients, and the localized bile duct dilation were detected in 28 (93.3%) patients. The BDTT was observed in all B3 patients and 3 B2 patients, but it was not observed in all B1 patients on CT or MRI. The BDTT showed relatively hypoattenuation on plain CT scans and T1W images, relatively hyperattenuation signals on T2W. The BDTT showed hyperattenuation at hepatic arterial phase with washout at portal venous phase. The localized biliary dilation showed no enhancement at hepatic arterial phase and no progressively delayed enhancement at portal venous phase, but it was more obvious at portal venous phase on CT.Conclusions: The HCC lesions and the localized bile duct dilatation on CT or MRI scans are imaging features of HCC with BDTT, which might facilitate the early diagnosis for B1-B3 BDTT.


2018 ◽  
Vol 52 (4) ◽  
pp. 353-364 ◽  
Author(s):  
Natally Horvat ◽  
Serena Monti ◽  
Brunna Clemente Oliveira ◽  
Camila Carlos Tavares Rocha ◽  
Romina Grazia Giancipoli ◽  
...  

Abstract Background Liver cancer is the sixth most common cancer worldwide and the second leading cause of cancer mortality. Chronic liver disease caused by viral infection, alcohol abuse, or other factors can lead to cirrhosis. Cirrhosis is the most important clinical risk factor for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) whereby the normal hepatic architecture is replaced by fibrous septa and a spectrum of nodules ranging from benign regenerative nodules to HCC, each one of them with different imaging features. Conclusions Furthermore, advanced techniques including the quantification of hepatic and intralesional fat and iron, magnetic resonance elastography, radiomics, radiogenomics, and positron emission tomography (PET)-MRI are highly promising for the extraction of new imaging biomarkers that reflect the tumor microenvironment and, in the future, may add decision-making value in the management of patients with HCC.


2017 ◽  
Vol 59 (6) ◽  
pp. 639-648 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yo Na Kim ◽  
Ji Soo Song ◽  
Woo Sung Moon ◽  
Hong Pil Hwang ◽  
Young Kon Kim

Background Gadoxetic acid is being widely used for detection and characterization of hepatic nodules. However, there are no data regarding intra-individual comparison of imaging features of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) on dynamic computed tomography (CT), gadopentetate dimeglumine-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (Gd-DTPA-MRI), and gadoxetic acid-enhanced MRI (Gd-EOB-MRI). Purpose To evaluate typical imaging features of HCC and capsule appearance with dynamic CT, Gd-DTPA-MRI, and Gd-EOB-MRI. Material and Methods We retrospectively reviewed 56 HCCs in 49 patients. Lesion attenuation/signal intensity was graded using a five-point scale based on dynamic phase and hepatobiliary phase (HBP) imaging. Subjective washout and capsule appearance were evaluated on portal venous phase (PVP) or delayed/transitional phase (DP/TP) imaging. The tumor-to-liver contrast ratio (TLCR) was calculated. Results Gd-DTPA-MRI and Gd-EOB-MRI was graded higher than CT on arterial phase ( P < 0.001). Gd-EOB-MRI was graded lower than Gd-DTPA-MRI on PVP and DP/TP ( P < 0.05). The detection rate of subjective washout and capsule appearance did not differ among the three imaging studies on either PVP or DP/TP. TLCR of Gd-EOB-MRI was lower than CT on PVP ( P = 0.004) and was lower than Gd-DTPA-MRI on DP/TP ( P = 0.001). Conclusion Arterial phase hyperenhancement and washout appearance of HCC were well demonstrated in Gd-EOB-MRI. The detection of capsule appearance using Gd-EOB-MRI was not inferior to Gd-DTPA-MRI or CT.


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