Sonographic differentiation of diffuse liver cancer from portal cirrhosis.

OBJECTIVE

To differentiate diffuse liver cancer from portal cirrhosis by using ultrasonography.

METHODS

We analyzed the sonographic images of 15 patients with diffuse liver cancer and 30 patients with portal cirrhosis.

RESULTS

The patients with diffuse liver cancer showed enlarged liver and obvious echo of nodules. The rate of portal embolism and swelling of lymph nodes around the porta hepatis was high. The patients with portal cirrhosis showed diminished liver and the obvious echo of fiber proliferation. The rates of spleen enlargement and ascites as well as gallbladder edema were high.

CONCLUSIONS

To identify sonographic characteristics inside and outside of the liver. It is helpful in differentiating diffuse liver cancer from portal cirrhosis. The sonographic characteristics inside the liver include surface and size, node echo, echo of fibrous tissue hyperplasia. They are difficult to identify when diffuse liver cancer merges with considerable cirrhosis. The acoustic image characteristics of the two diseases overlap. Hence attention should be paid to the size of the liver, proliferation of cells of diffuse liver carcinoma. In sonographic characteristics outside the liver, embolism of the portal vein and swelling of lymph nodes in the porta hepatis are particularly useful to identify diffuse liver cancer or diffuse liver cancer combined with liver cirrhosis in particular.