Hepatocarcinogenesis: imaging-pathologic correlation.
Rapid advances in liver surgery, including liver transplantation, radiology, and pathology, have created a need for clinically relevant nomenclature for premalignant and early lesions of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Precancerous lesions include dysplastic foci and dysplastic nodules (DNs) characterized by cytologic or structural atypia. Although imaging diagnosis is playing a crucial role in the evaluation of hepatocarcinogenesis and early diagnosis of HCC, it is still challenging to accurately characterize borderline nodules such as small arterially enhancing lesions or hypovascular nodules. This article discusses pathological and radiological features of these small nodular lesions and offers insights into the multistep process of hepatocarcinogenesis by describing the progression of pathologic change linking DNs to HCC.
Department of Pathology, Brain Korea 21 Project and Institute of Gastroenterology, Center for Chronic Metabolic Disease, Yonsei University Health System, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
Young Nyun
YN
Park
Myeong-Jin
MJ
Kim
D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000150:complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology*; D006801:Humans; D008103:Liver Cirrhosis / Q000150:complications*; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000150:complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology*; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed