Benign Liver Research Articles

Does diffusion-weighted imaging add diagnostic confidence in discriminating between benign and malignant solid focal liver lesions?

We investigated whether diffusion-weighted Imaging (DWI) adds diagnostic confidence in assessing focal liver lesions (FLLs). By reviewing FLLs without and with DWI at 1.5 T, two radiologists scored the confidence in diagnosing benignancy/malignancy (confidence score), and DWI usefulness (usefulness score). We showed that adding DWI significantly decreased the confidence score of the most experienced radiologist and increased his confidence in false-negative diagnoses showing atypical features on conventional magnetic resonance imaging.

Associations of organochlorine pesticides and polychlorinated biphenyls in visceral vs. subcutaneous adipose tissue with type 2 diabetes and insulin resistance

Background exposure to organochlorine (OC) pesticides and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) has been linked to type 2 diabetes. As OC pesticides and PCBs mainly accumulate in adipose tissue and there are physiological and clinical differences between visceral adipose tissue (VAT) and subcutaneous adipose tissue (SAT), we explored if there were associations of OC pesticides and PCBs in VAT or SAT with type 2 diabetes and insulin resistance. Participants were 50 patients with or without type 2 diabetes who underwent surgery for either cancer or benign liver or gallbladder lesions. We analyzed 14 OC pesticides and 22 PCB congeners in both VAT and SAT. Insulin resistance was estimated using homeostasis model assessment (HOMA). Although concentrations of OC pesticides and PCBs were strongly correlated between VAT and SAT, absolute concentrations differed substantially between them. In particular, concentrations of all PCBs were consistently about 5–10 times higher in VAT than SAT, but these patterns were independent of diabetes status. Some OC pesticides or PCBs, such as dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethanes (DDTs), chlordanes, and PCBs with 5 or less chlorides showed significant associations with diabetes or insulin resistance. For example, when tertiles of concentration-based summary measures were used, adjusted ORs were 1.0, 2.3, and 9.0 (P trend=0.02) for DDTs in VAT and 1.0, 2.1, and 5.7 (P trend=0.08) for PCBs with 5 or less chlorides. This study generally confirmed previous findings using serum concentrations. It would be useful to study pharmacodynamics of POPs in VAT and SAT further.

The Contribution of Diffusion Weighted MRI (DWI) and Measured ADC Values in Differentiating Benign and Malignant Liver Masses

The Contribution of Diffusion Weighted MRI (DWI) and Measured ADC Values in Differentiating Benign and Malignant Liver Masses

Mo2022 Evaluation of Acoustic Radiation Force Impulse Imaging for the Differential Diagnosis of Benign and Malignant Liver Tumors

Mo2022 Evaluation of Acoustic Radiation Force Impulse Imaging for the Differential Diagnosis of Benign and Malignant Liver Tumors

Benign Hepatocellular Tumors: A Multidisciplinary Approach

Benign Hepatocellular Tumors: A Multidisciplinary Approach

Defining vascular signatures of benign hepatic masses: role of MDCT with 3D rendering

Multidetector CT (MDCT) provides new opportunities for hepatic tumor characterization. By coupling high-resolution isotropic datasets with advanced post-processing tools, maps of tumor vascularity can be generated to elucidate characteristic findings. This two-part review describes a range of benign and malignant liver masses, with emphasis on IV contrast-enhanced MDCT features and vascular signatures that can be identified on 3D vascular mapping.

Laparoscopic versus open liver surgery: a single center analysis of post-operative in-hospital and post-discharge results

Laparoscopic hepatectomy (LH) is established as a safe and feasible surgical procedure for benign and malignant liver lesions showing many benefits in terms of short-term post-operative outcomes. Nevertheless, it remains unclear if these benefits extend beyond the hospital stay. The aim of this study was to compare in-hospital and post-discharge outcomes between two groups of patients who have undergone either laparoscopic or open hepatectomy (OH). Forty-six patients who have undergone LH from September 2008 to September 2011 were compared to 46 matched-pair control patients who have undergone OH. The two groups were compared in terms of in-hospital and 6-month outcomes. Post-discharge outcomes were analyzed in terms of the number of outpatient clinic appointments (OCAs) and readmissions (RAs). Analyses were performed excluding and including conversion cases. The two groups resulted in homogeneous patients' and lesions' characteristics. Patients who underwent LH showed statistically lower intra-operative blood loss, less total and major morbidity and shorter hospital stay. Regarding post-discharge outcomes, significantly less patients of LH group compared to patients of OH group required more than two post-discharge OCAs (in the intention to treat analysis, 28.3 versus 63%, respectively; P = 0.006) or RA (4.3 versus 15.2%, respectively; P = 0.008). The benefits of LH appeared to be maximized in cirrhotic patients; those represented the large part of patients readmitted after hepatectomy regardless of the type of surgical approach (77.8%). Advantages related to LH extend over the post-discharge period suggesting potential better patient's satisfaction and lower hospital cost.

Posttransplant mortality risk assessment for adult-to-adult right-lobe living donor liver recipients with benign end-stage liver disease

Objective. A model for living donor liver transplantation (LDLT) outcomes, in concert with pretransplant disease severity assessment, would facilitate informed decision-making on both sides considering donation and transplantation. So far, however, few of studies have focused on models specifically for adult-to-adult right-lobe LDLT recipients with benign end-stage liver diseases. Therefore, we aimed to develop such a prognostic model based on easily obtainable and objective pretransplant characteristics. Methods. With data retrospectively collected on 120 recipients, we used Cox proportional-hazards regression to analyze six donor characteristics and 33 pretransplant recipient variables for correlation with posttransplant mortality. In both a modeling set and a prospective validation set with 30 recipients, the performances of the new Cox model, MELD, and MELD-Na+ were assessed by measuring both calibration ability and discriminative power with the Hosmer–Lemeshow test and receiver operating characteristic analysis, respectively. Results. By univariate and multivariate analysis, donor age, serum total bilirubin, creatinine, and HBV-DNA level were significantly associated with posttransplant mortality. The Cox model, employing these four variables, yielded good calibration ability in the modeling set χ2 = 2.465, p = 0.653) and the validation set χ2 = 2.836, p = 0.586), and high discriminative power in the modeling set (c-statistic = 0.826, p = 0.001) and validation set (c-statistic = 0.816, p = 0.028). The calibration ability and discriminative power of MELD and MELD-Na+ in both sets were poor. Conclusions. The newly derived Cox model was valuable in posttransplant mortality risk assessment for adult-to-adult right-lobe LDLT recipients with benign end-stage liver diseases.

The Multiple Faces of Carcinoid Tumor: Performance Characteristics of Low-Grade Neuroendocrine Carcinoma Metastatic to the Liver in an Educational Interlaboratory Slide Comparison Program

Cytologic features of low-grade neuroendocrine carcinoma are well described in primary sites. There are fewer reports of the cytologic features specific to metastatic liver lesions or the frequency of misdiagnosis. To identify discriminating cytologic features and characterize the rate of misdiagnosis of low-grade neuroendocrine tumors metastatic to the liver in an educational interlaboratory slide comparison program. Glass slides with the specific reference diagnosis of metastatic low-grade neuroendocrine tumor involving liver were circulated to 175 laboratories, with 575 participant responses in the College of American Pathologists Interlaboratory Comparison Program in Nongynecologic Cytology. Eight specific cytologic features were assessed to identify predictors of poor performance (>10% misdiagnosis). There was an exact match diagnosis in 496 of 575 responses (86%); 555 of 575 responses (96.5%) were correctly identified as malignant. Incorrect responses included adenocarcinoma (27), hepatocellular neoplasm (21), small cell carcinoma (11), benign neoplasm not otherwise specified (6), benign liver (3) and inflammation (3). Three features were significantly associated with the misdiagnosis of adenocarcinoma: presence of large clusters (P = .02), lack of single-cell pattern (P = .02), and lack of stripped nuclei (P = .01). Participants often recognize metastatic low-grade neuroendocrine carcinoma in an educational glass-slide program. Adenocarcinoma was the most common incorrect diagnosis, especially in the presence of large cellular clusters or absence of a single-cell pattern or stripped nuclei.

Inappropriate calibration and optimisation of pan-keratin (pan-CK) and low molecular weight keratin (LMWCK) immunohistochemistry tests: Canadian Immunohistochemistry Quality Control (CIQC) experience

AimsPan-cytokeratin (pan-CK) and low molecular weight cytokeratin (LMWCK) tests are the most common immunohistochemistry (IHC) tests used to support evidence of epithelial differentiation. Canadian Immunohistochemistry Quality Control (CIQC), a new...

Diagnosis of liver tumour from CT images using contourlet transform

In this paper, a novel feature extraction scheme based on multiresolution contourlet transform for the automatic diagnosis of benign and malignant liver tumours from Computed Tomography (CT) images is presented. The liver is segmented automatically from CT images using region growing and the suspected tumour region is extracted from the segmented liver using Fuzzy C Means (FCM) clustering. The textural information obtained from the segmented tumour by contourlet transform is used to detect and classify the liver tumours using feed-forward neural network classifier. The tumours diagnosed by this method are haemangioma (benign) and hepatocellular carcinoma. A comparison with a similar algorithm based on wavelet texture descriptors shows that using contourlet-based texture features significantly improves the classification rate of liver tumour from CT scans.

The liver tissue bank and clinical database in China

To develop a standardized and well-rounded material available for hepatology research, the National Liver Tissue Bank (NLTB) Project began in 2008 in China to make well-characterized and optimally preserved liver tumor tissue and clinical database. From Dec 2008 to Jun 2010, over 3000 individuals have been enrolled as liver tumor donors to the NLTB, including 2317 cases of newly diagnosed hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and about 1000 cases of diagnosed benign or malignant liver tumors. The clinical database and sample store can be managed easily and correctly with the data management platform used. We believe that the high-quality samples with detailed information database will become the cornerstone of hepatology research especially in studies exploring the diagnosis and new treatments for HCC and other liver diseases.

Nasopharyngeal carcinoma with splenic and cystic liver metastases in a pediatric patient: 18F-FDG PET-CT findings

Pediatric nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) is rare and usually poorly differentiated. We report a 14-year-old boy with NPC with metastases to liver, spleen, lymph nodes and bone marrow. The liver metastases closely resembled benign cystic liver disease on imaging; however, they showed intense uptake similar to other metastatic sites on positron emission tomography (PET) scan. A liver biopsy could not be performed on the boy. The boy responded clinically to platinum-based chemotherapy, and all the baseline PET-positive lesions became negative. This case highlights the rarity of splenic and cystic liver metastases in pediatric NPC and demonstrates the potential use of PET/CT in diagnosis, staging and response assessment in metastatic pediatric NPC.

Right Hemihepatectomy by Suprahilar Intrahepatic Transection of the Right Hemipedicle using a Vascular Stapler

Successful hepatic resection requires profound anatomical knowledge and delicate surgical technique. Hemihepatectomies are mostly performed after preparing the extrahepatic hilar structures within the hepatoduodenal ligament, even in benign tumours or liver metastasis.1-5. Regional extrahepatic lymphadenectomy is an oncological standard in hilar cholangiocarcinoma, intrahepatic cholangio-cellular carcinoma and hepatocellular carcinoma, whereas lymph node metastases in the hepatic hilus in patients with liver metastasis are rarely occult. Major disadvantages of these procedures are the complex preparation of the hilus with the risk of injuring contralateral structures and the possibility of bleeding from portal vein side-branches or impaired perfusion of bile ducts. We developed a technique of right hemihepatectomy or resection of the left lateral segments with intrahepatic transection of the pedicle that leaves the hepatoduodenal ligament completely untouched. 6 However, if intraoperative visualization or palpation of the ligament is suspicious for tumor infiltration or lymph node metastasis, the hilus should be explored and a lymphadenectomy performed.

Glypican‐3 protein expression in primary and metastatic melanoma

The incidence of melanoma is increasing. Fine-needle aspiration (FNA) is critical in documenting recurrent/metastatic disease in established cases. The potential of metastatic melanoma (MM) to mimic epithelial tumors presents a diagnostic dilemma. In liver FNA, the distinction between hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and MM is a frequent challenge. Glypican-3 (GPC3), a heparan sulfate proteoglycan, is a highly sensitive and specific marker for HCC. Serum GPC3 was shown to be expressed in 40% of primary melanomas (PMs), but to the authors' knowledge no tissue studies to date have assessed GPC3 expression in MM. In this study, GPC3 protein expression was investigated in FNAs from MM, and in corresponding histologic sections from the primary tumors. Sixty archival, direct FNA smears or CytoLyt-fixed samples from 50 patients with MM were retrieved together with formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded specimens available from 17 corresponding PMs. All cases were stained with anti-GPC3 antibody. FNA and core biopsy specimens from HCCs and benign liver were used as positive and negative controls. GPC3 expression was divided into 2 categories: negative (negative or weak cytoplasmic staining) and positive (moderate or strong cytoplasmic with membranous accentuation). All FNAs from MM cases were negative (0 of 60) for GPC3. The exact 95% Clopper-Pearson confidence interval was 0.0% to 5.96%. Only 1 case of PM (1 of 17; 5.9%) demonstrated weak focal cytoplasmic staining (regarded as negative). In the current study, all MM and PM cases in archival FNAs and tissue sections were found to be negative for GPC3. These data suggest that GPC3 is not expressed in melanoma using the 1G12 clone.

Percutanous microwave ablation for benign focal liver lesion: an initial study

Objective To discuss the principle and the value of pereutanous microwave ablation for benign focal liver lesions. Methods Fourteen patients with 15 benign focal liver lesions received percutanous microwave ablation with 15G cool-tip microwave antenna. The maximum diameter of lesion was (26.2±13.6)mm (10 - 57 mm). Results Treatment sessions and total treatment time for single lesion were 1.4±0. 5 (1- 2) and (837±574)s (300- 2057 s). Follow-up range was 1- 35 months (median 6 months). The hepatic lesions were covered by coagulation necrosis region of ablation completely in all cases on contrast-enhanced at 1 month after ablation. The area of coagulation necrosis of ablation decreased on follow-up imaging in patients with more than 3 months follow-up. No complications happened in all cases. Side effects include pain (12/14) and fever (8/14) lasting I -9 days. The increase of serum transaminase decreased to normal at 1 week after ablation. Conclusions Percutanous microwave ablation has the merit of safety,minimal invasion, good ablation result and low incidence of side effect. Under the precondition of eareful choice of indication,pereutanous microwave ablation can be a selective treatment method for benign focal liver lesions. Key words: Ultrasonography; Liver diseases; Microwaves/therapeutic use

Primary experience of the anatomical laparoscopic left lateral hepatic lobectomy procedure for benign and malignant liver tumors

To assess the feasibility, safety and outcome of anatomical laparoscopic left lateral hepatic lobectomy for benign and malignant liver tumors. From April 2005 to May 2008, 11 patients (7 male, 4 female; mean age 51.7 years) underwent anatomical laparoscopic left lateral hepatic lobectomy. Four patients presented with hepatocellular carcinoma and cirrhosis, while 1 patient had metastatic liver tumors from postoperatively colon cancer, five patients had hemangioma (2 cases with gallstones underwent cholecystectomy), 1 patient had a huge symptomatic angiolipoleiomyoma. Mean tumor size was 5.8 cm (range 2.1 to 12.0 cm). All the lesions were localized in the anatomical left lateral lobe (segments II to III). The mean operative time was 147 min (range 120 to 180 min). There were no intraoperative or postoperative complications, and blood transfusions were not required. The mean postoperative hospital stay was 5.9 days. Anatomical laparoscopic left lateral hepatic lobectomy are feasible and safety.

Treatment and prevention of biliary complications after living donor liver transplantation

Objective To discuss the treatment and prevention of bile duct complications after living donor liver transplantation. Methods The clinical data of 84 cases of living donor liver trans-plantation including 56 adult recipients and 28 pediatric recipients were analyzed. Amongst the 84 pa-tients, 66 had benign end-stage liver diseases and 18 hepatocellular carcinoma. Duct-to-duct biliary re-construction was performed in 50 cases. One recipient received an end-to-end and end-to-side anasto-mosis of hepatic duct of donor and hepatic duct and common bile duct of recipient and another under-went end-to-end anastomosis of hepatic duct of donor and hepatic duct and cystic duct of recipient while the other 32 cases hepaticojejunostomy. 4Fr or 6Fr stent was routinely inserted into bile duct af-ter biliary reconstruction and elicited from the anterior wall of common bile duct or lateral wall of jeju-nal caecum of recipient in all the 84 cases. Results Twenty-four cases had biliary complications and the incidence was 28.5 %. The incidence of biliary leakage was significantly different between duct-to-duct reconstruction and hepaticojejunostomy (8.3% νs 16.7%, P＜0.05). The incidence of biliary stricture was markedly different between duct-to-duct reconstruction and hepaticojejunostomy (50% νs 16.7%, P＜0.05). The biliary complication was remarkably different between single hepatic duct and multiple hepatic duct (20.8% νs 79.2, P＜0.05). Four cases of biliary leakage were cured with con-servative treatment and the other 4 need reoperation. Four cases of biliary stricture were cured by way of endoscopic dilation and nose-biliary drainage, 2 cases turned to be better. Six cases were cured by conversion of hepaticojejunostomy and 4 turned to be better by way of percutaneous transhepatic biliar-y dilation and drainage. The recipients didn't die of biliary complications. Conclusion It is necessary to decrease the biliary complications after living donor liver transplantation, to be satisfactory blood supply and anastomotic technigue and select appropriato biliary reconstruction. Key words: Liver transplantation; Bile duct; Complication; Treatment; Prevention

Magnetic resonance imaging of the liver: consensus statement from the 1st International Primovist User Meeting

The role of contrastenhanced liver MRI using the hepatocyte-specific agent gadoliniumethoxybenzyl-diethylene triamine penta-acetic acid (Gd-EOB-DTPA, Primovist, Bayer Schering Pharma, Berlin, Germany) is considered, based on the discussion at the Forum of Liver MRI: The 1st International Primovist User Meeting. Current clinical evidence supports Gd-EOB-DTPA’s use in non-invasive diagnosis of benign and malignant liver lesions and staging of focal and diffuse liver disease. The information thus gained assists in the provision of cost-effective patient management. The pharmacological properties of Gd-EOB-DTPA facilitate the imaging of both the vascular and hepatobiliary phases in the cirrhotic and non-cirrhotic liver and may provide an opportunity for one-stop diagnosis of liver lesions, such as focal nodular hyperplasia, adenomas, haemangiomas, hepatocellular carcinoma and metastases. The currently recommended protocols using Gd-EOB-DTPA are appropriate for the majority of patients, but imaging time points may require modification in specific patient groups. Further experience in routine clinical practice, as opposed to that gained from rigidly designed clinical studies, may provide greater understanding of the potential of Gd-EOB-DTPA for the evaluation of the cirrhotic and non-cirrhotic liver. Additional studies may substantiate the potential of Gd-EOB-DTPA in the imaging of other abdominal organs and in the evaluation of liver function and fibrosis.

Reply to: Re: Intraoperative ultrasonography during planned liver resections remains an important surgical tool ((2007) 21: 1280–1283)

We thank Prof. Cerwenka for his informative and insightful comments regarding our article. He highlights the importance of high-quality preoperative imaging, and that oftentimes this necessitates repeating studies using liverspecific protocols. Contrast-enhanced liver ultrasonography looks promising but its use in the USA is still considered investigational. Overall, his clinical experience is very similar to ours. Despite the impressive advances in crosssectional imaging over the last decade, intraoperative liver ultrasonography still plays an important role in guiding the surgical management of many patients with both benign and malignant liver lesions.