What tests should be done for liver cancer

What tests should be done for liver cancer?

The tests required for liver cancer patients are as follows:

1. Detection of serum markers for liver cancer

1. Serum alpha-fetoprotein AFP determination; the diagnosis of this disease is relatively specific. If the serum AFP is continuously ≥400μg/L by radioimmunoassay, the diagnosis of liver cancer can be considered by excluding pregnancy and active liver disease. Clinically, about 30% of liver cancer patients are AFP negative. If AFP isomers are detected at the same time, the positive rate can be significantly increased.

2. Blood enzyme and other tumor markers examination: The serum γ-glutamyl transpeptidase and its isoenzymes, abnormal prothrombin, alkaline phosphatase, and lactate dehydrogenase isoenzymes of liver cancer patients may be higher than normal, but lack specificity.

2. Imaging Examination

1. Ultrasound examination: The size, shape, location of the tumor, and whether there is a tumor thrombus in the hepatic vein or portal vein can be determined with a diagnostic accuracy rate of up to 90%. It is a non-invasive examination method with good diagnostic value.

2. CT examination: With high resolution, the diagnosis conformity rate of liver cancer can reach 90%; it can detect small cancer foci with a diameter of about 1.0 cm.

3. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI): Its diagnostic value is the same as that of CT, and it is better than CT in differentiating benign and malignant intrahepatic space-occupying lesions in hemangioma.

4. Selective celiac or hepatic artery angiography: For cancers with rich blood vessels, the resolution is about 1 cm.

5. Liver puncture needle aspiration cytology examination: Fine needle puncture under the guidance of B-mode ultrasound can help improve the positive rate. It is suitable for those who cannot be diagnosed after various examinations but are highly suspected.