imaging
Last reviewed 10/2020
Imaging techniques that may be of value include:
- plain abdominal x-ray - may demonstrate calcification within the liver (sunburst lesion)
- plain chest x-ray - for metastases
- abdominal ultrasound - tumour shown as a hypo-echoic shadow with ill-defined margins; lesions less than 2cm may be revealed
- CT - tumour appears as a hypodense lesion which does not enhance with contrast. Detection may be improved by injecting the hepatic artery with lipiodol which is cleared only from non-cancerous tissue
- MRI - may be more sensitive than CT, particularly if fatty liver co-exists
- hepatic angiography - valuable in diagnosis, localisation and ascertainment of operability as the tumour is supplied by the hepatic artery