Abstract
Imaging of the liver is carried out for the detection and characterization of suspected primary or secondary neoplasms prior to planning surgery or chemotherapy, for the staging of neoplasms, for assessing treatment response, for evaluating biliary pathology, and for screening liver neoplasms in high-risk patients. Imaging also provides the assessment of vascular anatomy of the liver for surgical scheduling and diagnosis and treatment by guided procedures including percutaneous biopsy, radiofrequency ablation (RFA), hepatic artery infusion therapy, and transarterial chemoembolization (TACE).
Although liver ultrasonography (US) is still the first choice investigation, the role of CT and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has been recognized as the main imaging modalities. Contrast-enhanced multidetector CT (MDCT) and MRI are frequently used to estimate the tumor burden, vascular or biliary invasion, and residual normal liver volume and evaluate patients with preexisting liver disease (chronic hepatitis or cirrhosis) in order to search for development of potential primary malignancies. Further, the advances in 18-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography (18-FDG-PET) have also added a new dimension to functional liver imaging.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
References
Udayasankar U, Abbas C, Pardeep M, William CS (2008) Diagnostic imaging and image-guided interventions of hepatobiliary malignancies. In: Blake MA, Kalra MK (eds) Imaging in oncology. Springer, New York, NY, pp 199–228
Abdalla EK, Adam R, Bilchik AJ, Jaeck D et al (2006) Improving resectability of hepatic colorectal metastases: expert consensus statement. Ann Surg Oncol 13(10):1271–1280
Wong P (2009) Further defining liver imaging—physician and radiologist in dialogue. Eur Gastroenterol Hepatol Rev 4(2):14–18
Willatt JM, Hussain HK, Adusumilli S et al (2008) MR imaging of hepatocellular carcinoma in the cirrhotic liver: challenges and controversies. Radiology 247(2):311–330
Ayuso C, Rimola J, Garcia-Criado A (2011) Imaging of HCC. Abdom Imaging 37:215–230
Blechacz B, Komuta M, Roskams T, Gores GJ (2011) Clinical diagnosis and staging of cholangiocarcinoma. Nat Rev Gastroenterol Hepatol 8(9):512–522. https://doi.org/10.1038/nrgastro.2011.131
Ringe KI, Wacker F (2015) Radiological diagnosis in cholangiocarcinoma: application of computed tomography, magnetic resonance imaging, and positron emission tomography. Clin Gastroenterol 29(2):253–265. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bpg.2015.02.004
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2018 Springer International Publishing AG, part of Springer Nature
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Fragulidis, G.P. (2018). Introduction to Liver Cancer. In: Gouliamos, A., Andreou, J., Kosmidis, P. (eds) Imaging in Clinical Oncology. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-68873-2_51
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-68873-2_51
Published:
Publisher Name: Springer, Cham
Print ISBN: 978-3-319-68872-5
Online ISBN: 978-3-319-68873-2
eBook Packages: MedicineMedicine (R0)