Hepatocellular carcinoma variants: radiologic-pathologic correlation.

Area of Science:

• Radiology
• Oncology
• Pathology

Background:

• Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a primary liver malignancy.
• Typical imaging findings of HCC are well-established.
• Variant HCC subtypes may exhibit atypical imaging characteristics.

Purpose of the Study:

• To illustrate the imaging findings of uncommon hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) variants.
• To correlate imaging features with pathological findings in variant HCC.
• To enhance the diagnostic capabilities for diverse HCC presentations.

Main Methods:

• Review of imaging studies (e.g., CT, MRI, Ultrasound) of pathologically confirmed variant HCC.
• Correlation of imaging findings with histopathological features.
• Analysis of radiologic patterns specific to different HCC variants.

Main Results:

• Variant HCC subtypes demonstrate a wide spectrum of imaging appearances.
• Atypical imaging features can include varied enhancement patterns, signal intensities, and morphologic characteristics.
• Specific variant types may present with distinct imaging signatures.

Conclusions:

• The imaging presentation of variant hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) can deviate significantly from typical HCC.
• Familiarity with the radiologic manifestations of HCC variants is crucial for accurate differential diagnosis of hepatic lesions.
• Integrating imaging and pathology is key to identifying and characterizing variant HCC.