What are benign liver tumors?

Benign liver tumors are relatively common in our daily life. There are many causes of benign liver tumors, and there are many manifestations of benign liver tumors. For example, hepatic hemangioma is relatively common and has a relatively high incidence rate. In addition, nodular hyperplasia, liver adenoma and simple liver cysts are relatively common. Some require timely treatment, while others only require regular check-ups.

What are benign liver tumors?

1. Hepatic hemangioma

The estimated incidence rate in the population is between 0.4% and 20%. The disease is characterized by insidious onset, slow progression, and mostly no effect on liver function. Common pathological types of hepatic hemangioma include cavernous hemangioma (most common), sclerosing hemangioma and capillary hemangioma.

2. Focal nodular hyperplasia of the liver

Focal nodular hyperplasia (FNH) of the liver ranks second in incidence among primary benign liver tumors, with the majority of cases occurring in women (approximately 90%). Clinically, single FNH is common and generally does not exceed 5 cm in size, but some may appear as huge space-occupying lesions. FNH has a certain probability of multiple occurrence and may coexist with hemangioma. The disease is usually asymptomatic, but nonspecific manifestations such as right upper abdominal discomfort may occur. The formation of FNH is related to hepatic vascular malformations and has a potential connection with other vascular diseases (such as hereditary hemorrhagic telangiectasia).

3. Liver adenoma

The diagnosis of hepatic adenoma requires a comprehensive consideration of medication history, clinical manifestations, and imaging examination results. Liver puncture biopsy is generally not used because the disease has a tendency to spontaneously bleed, and the amount of punctured tissue may not meet the needs of pathological diagnosis. The imaging diagnosis of hepatic adenoma needs to be differentiated from diseases such as hepatic hemangioma and FNH, and mainly relies on characteristic manifestations such as intratumoral hemorrhage, necrosis, and fat accumulation. Commonly used examination methods include ultrasound (ultrasound contrast imaging), CT or MRI enhanced scanning, etc.

4. Simple liver cyst

A large, well-defined hypointense area is seen in the left lobe of the liver. Figure B is an ultrasound image, showing that the cyst cavity is a huge oval liquid dark area with consistent internal echoes and enhanced echoes on the posterior wall of the cyst. Figure C is a T2-weighted image of MRI. The entire cyst has a smooth edge, is clearly demarcated from the surrounding tissues, and exhibits a high signal. Figure D shows the situation during the operation. After the cyst wall was opened and the cystic fluid was sucked out, the liver surface collapsed slightly.

Most simple liver cysts do not require treatment, but cysts larger than 4 cm in diameter should be monitored regularly with ultrasound to see if their size changes. If cyst-related symptoms occur or the cyst enlarges, be alert to the possibility of mucinous cystadenoma or malignant adenoma. In surgical treatment of liver cysts, the cyst should be removed as completely as possible, and the presence of bile duct communication should be carefully examined. Ultrasound-guided puncture and drainage can relieve compression, but it is prone to recurrence.