Hepatocellular adenoma: An unsolved diagnostic enigma

Area of Science:

• Hepatology
• Diagnostic Imaging
• Gastroenterology

Background:

• Hepatocellular adenoma (HCA) is a rare benign liver tumor.
• It is associated with oral contraceptives and steroid medications, predominantly affecting women.
• Unlike other benign liver tumors, HCAs carry risks of bleeding and malignant transformation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review the imaging features of Hepatocellular adenoma (HCA) using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).
• To focus on the capabilities and limitations of MRI in characterizing HCA subtypes.
• To analyze the role of MRI in the management of benign liver tumors.

Main Methods:

• Review of imaging features of Hepatocellular adenoma (HCA).
• Utilized magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) with hepato-specific contrast agents.
• Analysis focused on MRI's ability to detect and subtype HCAs.

Main Results:

• Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is superior for detecting HCAs and subtyping them up to 80% accuracy.
• Hepatocyte nuclear factor 1α-mutated HCA and inflammatory HCA can be identified with >90% specificity.
• β-catenin-mutated HCA presents the highest risk for hemorrhage or malignant transformation.

Conclusions:

• MRI is a key imaging modality for Hepatocellular adenoma (HCA) detection and characterization.
• While MRI offers high accuracy in subtyping, limitations in HCA characterization exist.
• Further research may refine MRI's role in managing HCAs and their associated risks.