Hepatocellular carcinomas <2 cm in diameter complicating cirrhosis: ultrasound and clinical features in 153 consecutive patients.

PURPOSE: To determine the frequencies of various echogenicity patterns in 153 consecutive unifocal hepatocellular carcinomas (HCCs) <2 cm detected in cirrhotic livers and to identify their relationships with clinical, laboratory, and microscopic features. PATIENTS AND METHODS: The tumors were classified as hypoechoic, hyperechoic, isoechoic, or nodule-in-nodule. Correlation was evaluated between hypoechoic and hyperechoic patterns and the following variables: age, gender, serum alphafetoprotein (AFP), tumor size, ultrasound features of liver parenchyma, cirrhosis etiology, and cyto/histological tumor grading. RESULTS: One hundred and seventeen tumors (76.4%) were hypoechoic, 26 (17.0%) were hyperechoic, 5 (3.3%) were isoechoic, and 5 (3.3%) had nodule-in-nodule patterns. The hyperechoic pattern was more common in patients under 69 years (25.0% vs. 11.3% in those under 69 years or older, P=0.033). Patients with a hyperechoic pattern displayed a trend towards lower AFP levels and higher prevalence of hepatitis C-related cirrhosis. The prevalence of well-differentiated tumors was identical (56.6% and 56.5%) in the hypoechoic and hyperechoic subgroups. AFP was higher than 400 ng/ml in only 11/153 cases (7.2%). CONCLUSIONS: The hyperechoic pattern of HCC is by no means uncommon, particularly in patients under 70. Hyperechogenicity is not related to an increased frequency of well-differentiated tumors. AFP shows limited value as a confirmatory test of small HCC.

Diagnosis of liver nodules observed in chronic liver disease patients during ultrasound screening for early detection of hepatocellular carcinoma.

OBJECTIVES: The aim of our study was to evaluate the nature of focal liver lesions detected during the ultrasound follow-up of a population (prevalently anti-hepatitis C virus [anti-HCV] positive) with chronic liver disease. METHODS: The study population consisted of 1827 consecutive newly diagnosed chronic liver disease cases without liver nodules at enrollment. Patients were screened at 4-month intervals by ultrasound and serum alpha-fetoprotein assessment. All lesions detected on imaging studies (except those accompanied by diagnostic a-fetoprotein levels) were subjected to biopsy (histology and cytology). RESULTS: During the 7-yr follow-up period (mean = 43.1 months), one or more solid focal lesions were found in 287 patients. a-Fetoprotein was diagnostic for hepatocellular carcinoma in 51 patients. Ultrasound-guided fine-needle biopsy was performed in the remaining 236 patients, yielding a diagnosis in 214: 198 hepatocellular carcinomas, 11 dysplastic nodules, and five B-cell non-Hodgkin's lymphomas (all confined to the liver and all in patients with chronic HCV infection). Twenty-two patients with nondiagnostic biopsies received diagnoses of hepatocellular carcinoma (20) or dysplastic nodules (two) based on arteriography or surgical biopsy. CONCLUSIONS: Focal lesions arising in patients with HCV-related chronic liver disease can be other than hepatocellular carcinoma, and ultrasound-guided fine-needle biopsy plays an important role in their diagnosis. The prevalence of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma in this selected population was 0.31%. The fact that all five lymphoma patients had cirrhosis related to hepatitis C strengthens the hypothesis of an etiological correlation between the latter infection and B-cell lymphoproliferative disorders.