Ultrasonographic Diagnosis of Malignant Hepatic Tumors

Forty-two patients with liver malignancies were examined withthe U.I. Octoson ultrasonographic scanner. The cases were dividedinto four groups according to the ultrasonographic patterns.About 71% (5/7) of the metastatic tumors of colonic cancer and91% (10/11) of those of gastric cancer were of the homogeneoushyperechoic pattern (Group A), while all cases of hepato-cellularcarcinoma were of the hypoechoic pattern with nodular echogenicity(Group B) or hypoechoic pattern with granular and reticularechogenicity (Group C). These results indicate that ultrasonography is useful methodfor differentiating hepatocellular carcinoma from metastatictumors to the liver, especially those of adenocarcinomas ofthe stomach and colon.