6 imaging examinations for primary liver cancer

Primary liver cancer is one of the most common malignant tumors in my country. Commonly used imaging examination methods in clinical practice include B-type ultrasound, CT, magnetic resonance imaging, selective celiac artery or hepatic artery angiography, radionuclide liver scanning and X-ray examination.

1. Ultrasound examination

B-mode ultrasound is a non-invasive examination method with a diagnostic accuracy rate of about 90% for primary liver cancer, and can be used as a screening tool for high-risk populations.

2. CT examination

CT has a high resolution, and the diagnostic accuracy rate for primary liver cancer is higher than 90%. Dynamic enhanced scanning can improve the resolution and help differentiate it from hemangioma. Combining CT dynamic scanning with arterial angiography can improve the detection rate of tiny cancer foci.

3. Magnetic resonance imaging

The advantage of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) examination is that it can reconstruct images of the hepatic vein, portal vein, inferior vena cava, and bile duct, and can show tumor thrombi in some ductal lumens.

4. Selective celiac artery or hepatic artery angiography

Selective celiac artery or hepatic artery angiography is an invasive examination method, which is mostly used to examine tiny cancer lesions that are difficult to detect. The detection rate for cancer lesions smaller than 2 cm can reach 90%.

5. Radionuclide liver scan

Radionuclide liver scanning is usually performed with 198gold, 99mtechnetium, 131iodine rose bengal, 113mindium, etc., which is helpful in the diagnosis of large liver cancer.

6. X-ray examination

X-ray films may show enlarged liver shadows. If the primary liver cancer occurs in the right lobe of the liver, the right diaphragm may be seen to be elevated or locally bulging. If the liver cancer is located in the left lobe of the liver or is huge, the stomach or transverse colon may be pushed.