Sonographic characteristics of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) lesions

144 HCC patients diagnosed histopathologically/cytologically with fine needle aspiration under sonographic leading were studied ultrasonically. 52.08% of patients had 1 lesion, 44.45% had more 2 lesions and only 3.47% had dispersive lesions. Of 75 cases with 1 lesion, 21 had under 5cm lesion, 42 from 5 to 10cm and 12 above 10cm. The relation between dimention of the lesion and its ultrasonic echo-pattern was investigated

Detective ability and imaging features of CT scanner for hepatocellular cancer

HCC was diagnosed in 40 patients. Pathology confirmation of tumor histologic findings was obtained with percutanous biopsy, or fine needle biopsy aspiration. All patients were examined by using Shimazu SCT 3000 TX scanner. CT detected hepatoma on 36 of 40(90%) patients. In 36 cases of recognizable tumor, 28(77,78%) were solitary lesion; 5(13,89%) were multicenter and 3(8,33%) were diffused. On plain CT we identified 3/36(8,33%) tumors as an area of homogeneously hypoattenuating; 33(91,67%) as a heterogenic hypoattenuating. The CT appearance of HCC on intravenous contrast enhanced scans was variable. The mosaic patterns were identified in 14(46,47%) tumors; 13(44,33%) were heterogenic hypodence and 3 (10%) were homogeneously hypoattenuating. CT demonstrated tumor encapsulation in 19 of 36(52,78%) patients; tumor calcification was determined in 4 of 40(10%) and tumor necrosis was determined in 8 of 40 (20%) patients. Some remarks: Several CT features have been reported to be characteristic for HCC, including a mosaic pattern, tumor capsule, venous invasion. But in our result tumor calcification is 10%, therefore the presence of calcification in primary hepatic tumor should not exclude the diagnosis of HCC.