Difference between liver hemangioma and liver cancer in ultrasound

Written by Shen Jiang Chao
Radiology
Updated on September 26, 2024
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Liver hemangiomas display a variety of appearances on ultrasound, including hyper-echoic, hypo-echoic, and mixed echoes. Typically, hemangiomas appear on ultrasound as round or oval hyper-echoic masses, with internal echoes that may show a sieve-like change. In contrast, liver cancer primarily appears as hypo-echoic on ultrasound, and liver cancer symptoms are more varied because most liver cancers develop on the basis of cirrhosis. In addition to hypo-echoic masses, there are other manifestations, such as an incomplete liver capsule, widened liver fissures, spleen enlargement, and dilated portal veins, which are used to differentiate from hemangiomas.

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Written by Liu Wu Cai
Hepatobiliary Surgery
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Is a liver hemangioma serious if it is benign?

The severity of a patient with a hepatic hemangioma primarily depends on the size of the tumor. For patients with hepatic hemangiomas, if the size is relatively small, they generally do not experience significant discomfort, and most are discovered incidentally during ultrasound screenings. In such cases, no special treatment is required; just regular follow-up ultrasounds to monitor any changes in size. However, if the hepatic hemangioma is large, it often leads to rupture, bleeding, or even hemorrhagic shock, which requires attention and should be treated as early as possible. For its treatment, minimally invasive surgery, specifically interventional treatments, are the preferred options and can be very effective.

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Written by Liu Wu Cai
Hepatobiliary Surgery
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Can a six-centimeter liver hemangioma be treated with minimally invasive surgery?

For patients with liver hemangiomas, if the size reaches six centimeters, it is relatively large at this point and there may be a risk of rupture and bleeding. Thus, it is advisable to opt for early surgical intervention. The primary method for this would be minimally invasive surgery, which is achieved through vascular interventional surgery. Post-surgery, it is still necessary to have regular follow-up examinations with color Doppler ultrasound to monitor changes in the condition. Generally, for patients with liver hemangiomas of a relatively small size, they usually do not experience significant discomfort and do not require special treatment. Regular follow-up with color Doppler ultrasound to observe any changes in size is sufficient. Of course, it is advisable to avoid spicy and irritating foods in the diet to reduce inflammatory stimulation and lessen the burden on the liver, thereby helping to control the condition.

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home-news-image
Written by Shen Jiang Chao
Radiology
44sec home-news-image

Difference between liver hemangioma and liver cancer in ultrasound

Liver hemangiomas display a variety of appearances on ultrasound, including hyper-echoic, hypo-echoic, and mixed echoes. Typically, hemangiomas appear on ultrasound as round or oval hyper-echoic masses, with internal echoes that may show a sieve-like change. In contrast, liver cancer primarily appears as hypo-echoic on ultrasound, and liver cancer symptoms are more varied because most liver cancers develop on the basis of cirrhosis. In addition to hypo-echoic masses, there are other manifestations, such as an incomplete liver capsule, widened liver fissures, spleen enlargement, and dilated portal veins, which are used to differentiate from hemangiomas.

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Written by Liu Wu Cai
Hepatobiliary Surgery
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Symptoms of deteriorating hepatic hemangioma

When deterioration occurs in liver blood vessels, it primarily manifests as rupture and bleeding of hepatic hemangiomas, which can lead to hemorrhagic shock, and even cause death. Of course, in the early stages of the disease, patients may only experience discomfort and pain in the upper right abdomen. As the bleeding increases, the pain becomes significant, and clinical symptoms such as decreased blood pressure and increased heart rate may occur. Therefore, it is important to pay close attention to patients with large hepatic hemangiomas and perform surgery as early as possible for a definitive cure. Moreover, postoperative attention is still needed. Patients should avoid injuries, follow a light diet primarily, eat more fresh vegetables and fruits, and reduce the burden on the liver to better facilitate recovery from the condition.

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Written by Liu Wu Cai
Hepatobiliary Surgery
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Will liver hemangioma increase cancer embryonic antigen?

Generally speaking, hepatocellular adenomas do not exhibit elevated levels of carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA). Regarding hepatocellular adenomas, they are benign liver lesions and typically do not cause any noticeable symptoms in patients. They are most often discovered during ultrasound examinations. Patients with larger hepatocellular adenomas may experience pain in the liver area, and there is also a possibility of rupture and bleeding. Therefore, early surgical intervention is advisable, as surgery can yield excellent treatment outcomes. However, generally, patients with hepatocellular adenomas do not exhibit an increase in CEA. Elevated tumor markers and increased CEA are found in patients with malignant liver tumors.