Can liver hemangioma be definitively diagnosed by ultrasound?

Written by Li Hu Chen
Imaging Center
Updated on September 17, 2024
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If there is a hemangioma on the liver, it can generally be diagnosed through an ultrasound of the liver and biliary system. This is because hemangiomas have some characteristic appearances on ultrasound imaging. First, it's essential to understand the structure of the liver hemangioma which can be roughly considered as sponge-like, with a structure similar to a sponge containing many fine structures. When ultrasound is applied, this sponge-like structure will demonstrate strong echogenicity, appearing as a large mass with medium to strong echogenic responses. Thus, it is quite evident on ultrasound and has relatively high specificity, so it can generally be diagnosed through ultrasound. If the appearance is not typical, further examination with an enhanced CT scan can be carried out for diagnosis.

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Written by Liu Wu Cai
Hepatobiliary Surgery
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Why is it not recommended to perform surgery on hepatic hemangiomas?

Patients with hepatic hemangioma generally do not exhibit obvious symptoms, and most cases are discovered during color Doppler ultrasound examinations. Hence, surgical treatment is not required at this time. It is possible to regularly re-examine the color Doppler ultrasound dynamics and monitor any changes in volume. However, for large hepatic hemangiomas, complications such as rupture, bleeding, and even life-threatening hemorrhagic shock may occur, leading to death. Therefore, early surgical treatment is advised for such cases. The primary method is minimally invasive surgery achieved through interventional procedures. Post-surgery, regular follow-up with color Doppler ultrasound is also necessary to dynamically observe any changes in the condition.

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Written by Liu Wu Cai
Hepatobiliary Surgery
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How long does it take to recover from minimally invasive surgery for liver hemangioma?

Patients with liver hemangiomas can undergo minimally invasive surgery via peripheral vascular intervention. They generally recover within three to five days after the surgery. Therefore, for patients with larger liver hemangiomas, which could potentially rupture and bleed, surgical treatment is advisable to achieve complete cure. However, for smaller liver hemangiomas without obvious symptoms, no special treatment is needed. Regular follow-up with color ultrasound to monitor any changes in size is sufficient. If surgery is carried out, the recovery time is generally three to five days, so there is no need for excessive concern.

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Written by Liu Wu Cai
Hepatobiliary Surgery
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Do liver hemangiomas need to be treated?

Whether treatment is needed for liver hemangiomas mainly depends on the size and volume of the hemangioma and whether there are any symptoms. For patients with liver hemangiomas, those with relatively large volumes may experience liver bleeding or even affect liver function. In such cases, surgical treatment should be performed. The surgery can be done through interventional procedures to achieve ligation, which can cure the condition. Of course, for patients with smaller liver hemangiomas, there are generally no obvious symptoms, and most are only discovered during ultrasound examinations. There is no need to be overly worried or to undertake special treatments in such cases. Regular ultrasound check-ups to dynamically observe any changes in volume are sufficient. However, if the condition worsens, early treatment should be administered to improve the prognosis for the patient.

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Written by Liu Wu Cai
Hepatobiliary Surgery
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Is pain from a liver hemangioma normal?

If a patient with a liver hemangioma experiences pain, this is not within the normal range. When the liver hemangioma is small, patients generally do not experience significant discomfort and do not require special treatment. Regular follow-up with ultrasound to dynamically observe changes in size is sufficient. However, if a patient with a liver hemangioma experiences pain in the liver area, this should be taken seriously, as it may indicate rupture and bleeding of the hemangioma, especially when the hemangioma is large. Therefore, for patients with large hemangiomas, early interventional treatment should be administered, as only through interventional surgery can the therapeutic effect be achieved, preventing the worsening of the condition. Additionally, patients with liver hemangiomas should avoid hard-to-digest foods in their diet to reduce the burden on the liver and better manage the condition.

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Written by Liu Wu Cai
Hepatobiliary Surgery
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Is it serious if a liver hemangioma occasionally causes needle-prick-like pain?

For patients with liver hemangiomas, if they occasionally experience needle-like pain, the condition is relatively mild at that time, but regular follow-up ultrasound exams are still needed to monitor changes in the condition. The diet should primarily be light, including plenty of fresh vegetables and fruits, avoiding hard-to-digest foods, and avoiding spicy and irritating foods to reduce inflammatory stimulation, which is beneficial for controlling the condition. Of course, if the hemangioma is large, it may cause local compression symptoms, primarily characterized by persistent pain in the liver area. For such cases, surgery should be performed as soon as possible to achieve a cure and improve the patient's prognosis.