Upon discovery of a<unk> , the main issue in the workup is to determine whether the<unk>  is benign or malignant. Many imaging modalities are used to aid in the diagnosis of malignant<unk> s. These include sonography (ultrasound), computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).<unk>  markers, chemicals sometimes found in the blood of people with cancer, can be helpful in diagnosing and monitoring the course of<unk>  cancers. High levels of alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) in the blood can be found in many cases of HCC and intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma. Cholangiocarcinoma can be detected with these commonly used<unk>  markers: carbohydrate antigen 19-9 (CA 19-9), carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) and cancer antigen 125 (CA125). These<unk> r markers are found in primary<unk>  cancers, as well as in other cancers and certain other disorders. Ultrasound Ultrasonography of<unk> s involves two stages: detection and characterization.<unk>  detection is based on the performance of the method and should include morphometric information (three axes dimensions, volume) and topographic information (number, location specifying<unk>  segment and lobe/lobes). The specification of these data is important for staging<unk> s and prognosis.<unk>  characterization is a complex process based on a sum of criteria leading towards<unk>  nature definition. Often, other diagnostic procedures, especially interventional ones are no longer necessary.<unk>  characterization using the ultrasound method will be based on the following elements: consistency (solid, liquid, mixed), echogenicity, structure appearance (homogeneous or heterogeneous), delineation from adjacent<unk>  parenchyma (capsular, imprecise), elasticity, posterior acoustic enhancement effect, the relation with neighboring organs or structures (displacement, invasion), vasculature (presence and characteristics on Doppler ultrasonography and contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS). Computed tomography Selected images from a biphasic CT of Focal Nodular Hyperplasia in the left hepatic lobe (arrow). These masses have characteristic early arterial enhancement (6a) with contrast wash out on the portal venous phase images (6b) from the mass making these lesions difficult to identify on portal venous phase images alone. When evaluating hepatic masses by abdominal computed tomography (CT), it can be advantageous to have both late arterial and portal venous phase images since some<unk> s enhance briskly during the arterial phase (hepatocellular carcinoma, hepatic adenoma, follicular nodular hyperplasia (FNH), and hypervascular metastasis), but maybe occult or difficult to characterize on portal venous phase imaging alone. However, it should be stressed that the addition of late arterial phase images is only indicated if one of these<unk> s is suspected, or if there is a need for further characterization of a hepatic mass, since the large majority of patients will not benefit from the addition of this phase. In addition, if there is a need to definitively characterize a hepatic mass, MRI is generally more sensitive and specific, with no associated radiation dose.
Liver tumor
Liver cancer
Kidney tumour
Hepatolithiasis
Liver abscess
Gallbladder disease
Gallbladder cancer
Metastatic liver disease