Ultrasonographic differentiation of hepatocellular carcinoma from metastatic liver cancer

Ultrasonographic features of tumor nodules in 64 patients with hepatocellular carcinoma and 87 with metastatic liver cancer were analyzed for differential diagnosis. Sonographic characteristics of hepatocellular carcinoma were the mosaic, posterior echo enhancement, and lateral shadow patterns, which were rarely observed in metastatic liver cancers. Small hepatocellular carcinomas, less than 3 cm in diameter, showed a hypoechoic pattern. Metastatic liver cancers originating from the gastrointestinal tract were frequently hyperechoic irrespective of their size and the bull's-eye-like pattern was specific for metastases from the lung. These results indicate that ultrasonography is useful for the differential diagnosis of hepatocellular carcinoma and metastatic liver cancer.