Pathologic explanation for hypoechoic halo seen on sonograms of malignant liver tumors: an in vitro correlative study

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the morphologic substrate of the hypoechoic halo seen on sonograms of malignant liver tumors.

We used sonograms and pathologic examinations to evaluate 17 cadaveric livers with macroscopic tumors (three primary liver tumors, 14 metastases). During sonography (3.5 and 5.0 MHz), a representative section plane was marked, and the same section was examined histologically. Emphasis was placed on the architecture of the tumor and the morphology of the periphery of the tumor that could account for the hypoechoic halo seen on sonograms.

In 13 of 17 hepatic tumors, a hypoechoic halo was detected on sonograms. Histopathologic examination showed an intratumoral rim consisting of proliferating tumor cells in 12 cases and an extratumoral rim of compressed liver parenchyma in all 13 cases. A detailed comparison of sonographic and histopathologic findings showed that the hypoechoic halo corresponded to a greater concentration of tumor cells and areas of less marked fibrosis and necrosis in the periphery of the tumors. This occurred in 11 cases. In one case, histologic studies showed that the hypoechoic rim was caused by compressed liver parenchyma. In another case, the hypoechoic halo was caused by intratumoral (cellular peripheral zone of tumor) and extratumoral (compressed liver parenchyma) components. All four tumors without a halo at sonography were uniform histologically.

The sonographic halo seen on sonograms of malignant liver tumors seems to be caused predominantly by a zone of proliferating tumor in the periphery of the lesion.