[Radiological diagnosis of liver hemangiomas: look at the problem of surgical clinic].

AIM: To define significance of radiological diagnostics in detection and characterization of hepatic hemangiomas. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Analysis of 176 patients with liver hemangiomas was performed. All patients were investigated or consulted in hepato-pancreato-biliary surgical department. US, CT, MRI, angiography, scintigraphy and liver biopsy were compared. RESULTS: Contemporary noninvasive diagnostics disclose liver hemangiomas with high confidence without need for tumor biopsy. MRI and CT with intravenous enhancement are the most efficient modalities for detection of hepatic hemangiomas.

[Transplantation of the right hepatic lobe from an alive relative donor]. / Transplantatsiia pravoi doli pecheni ot zhivogo rodstvennogo donora.

The use of relative donors in the transplantation of the liver has shown a good performance as an alternative line in its orthotopical grafting. Shortage of donor organs actively stimulates the development of relative transplantation. The main problem of relative hepatic transplantation is the limited capacity of obtaining a required mass of a hepatic graft for obese recipients. To settle this problem, the Russian Surgery Research Center, Russian Academy of Medical Sciences, has developed an original safe procedure for obtaining the right lobe of the liver from an alive relative donor and for implanting it in a recipient. In November 1997 to October 2001, transplantation of the right hepatic lobe from an alive relative donor was made in 23 recipients (10 males and 13 females aged 9 to 55 (mean 22.3 +/- 3.1) years. Their body weight was 24 to 80 (mean 51.4 +/- 3.0) kg. Indications for surgery were as follows: hepatic cirrhosis (HC) at the end stage of the Wilson-Konovalov disease (n = 10), primary sclerotic cholangitis (n = 4), HC of viral etiology (n = 3), Bailer's disease (n = 2), primary biliary HC (n = 2), HC in the presence of alpha 1-antitrypsin deficiency (n = 1), and secondary biliary HC (n = 1). The donors of the right lobe of the liver were recipients' mothers in 9 cases, their fathers in 6 cases, sisters in 2 cases, sons in 1 cases, their daughter, brother, aunt, cousin in 1 case each. The donors' age ranged from 19 to 49 (mean 37.9 +/- 1.4) years. The donors underwent right hemihepatectomy, complications were absent in them. There were early mortality among the recipients. Two patients died in the late postoperative period. The remaining 21 recipients were survivors and followed up for 1 to 48 (mean 14.9 +/- 2.9) months. Their life quality was good. The use of the right lobe of the liver from an alive relative donor is the optimum alternative to transplantation of the cadaverous liver and partially compensates the shortage of donor organs for children, adolescents, and adults.

[Differential diagnosis of hepatocellular carcinoma using laser DNA-cytofluorometry]. / Differentsial'no-diagnosticheskie kriterii gepatotselliuliarnogo raka, opredelennye metodom lazernoi DNK-protochnoi tsitofliuorometrii.

Because of insufficient amount of material obtained in many cases of puncture biopsy, Differential diagnosis of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) with benign tumors and focal cirrhotic lesions of the liver is difficult. The study was aimed at development of additional criteria for HCC differential diagnosis of the basis of a comparison of morphological data (histological and cytological) with DNA content in the cells of focal lesion of the liver and is based on the research of biopsy material from 111 patients with focal liver lesions. Laser DNA flow cytometry (DNA-FCM) was carried out in 59 samples using laser flowing cytometer FACScan (Becton Dickinson, USA). The complex of three HCC histological criteria was established (trabecular histoarchitecture, increased nuclear-cytoplasmatic rate and nuclear crowding) for comparison with puncture biopsy of the liver (diagnostic efficiency 93.7%). Optimal quantitative parameters for HCC diagnosis were the following: reduction of the number of cells in a GO/1 phase of the cell cycle (< 77.5%), appearance of aneuploid clone of cell DNA index > 1.0 and decreased percent of binucleated cells (< 10%). Very high diagnostic specificity of the research was found (98.3%). Usage of quantitative parameters in the complex with histological criteria of HCC increased efficiency of the diagnosis up to 98%.

[Orthotopic liver transplantation]. / Ortotopicheskaia transplantatsiia pecheni.

Orthotopic liver transplantation is the only method of choice for many severe liver diseases with poor prognosis. The development of liver transplantation programmes is based on medical science achievements and high technology in surgery, anesthesiology and perfusiology. The experience of the Surgery Research Center, Russian Academy of Medical Sciences, made it possible to obtain positive results of liver transplantation and posttransplantation management. This in turn provided longer survival for 80% of recipients. At the same time the mortality of potential recipients was 60.4%, which is due to the greater shortage of donor organs and which is the main problem in the development of organ grafting in Russia. The fact that there is a high proportion of children who are recipients for the donor's liver requires that liver transplantation from living related donors should be developed.

[An algorithm for differential diagnosis searching in space-occupying lesions of the liver]. / Algoritm differentsial'no-diagnosticheskogo poiska pri ob''emnykh obrazovaniiakh pecheni.

The experience of examination of 584 patients with volumetric masses of the liver (VML) of various origin is presented. For successful differential diagnosis of VML and definition of rational surgical policy the algorithm of examination was considered with due regard for diagnostic stages, each of them being characterized by definite complex of tests. It is thought necessary to begin examination with noninvasive and highly informative tests. Complex of radioimmunologic evaluation of tumor markers level is advisable to include in diagnostic algorithm of patients with VML. The use of invasive methods of diagnostics is justified in complicated diagnostic situation. For evaluation of regional function of the liver radionuclear examination should be used. Liver puncture are feasible only whenever parasitic nature of cystic masses of the liver is excluded. If it is found to be impossible to determine the character of VML the question of advisability of diagnosis laparotomy should be resolved in its favour. The most efficient use of various methods of examination in 584 patients with VML of various genesis made it possible to increase accuracy of diagnosis of hepatic hemangioma, in nonparasitic cysts--1.7 times and in parasitic cysts--1.2 times.

[The ultrasonic study of the liver, its large vessels and the spleen in chronic diffuse liver diseases]. / Ul'trazvukovoe issledovanie pecheni, ee krupnykh sosduov i selezenki pri khronicheskikh diffuznykh zabolevaniiakh pecheni.

The paper is concerned with some methodological aspects of ultrasound investigation of the liver, portal veins and the spleen, the importance of this investigation for the detection, differential diagnosis and follow-up of patients with various chronic liver diseases.