Hepatic Lesions in a Cirrhotic Liver: Primary or Metastases?

J Nucl Med Technol. 2017 Mar;45(1):50-52. doi: 10.2967/jnmt.116.183228. Epub 2017 Feb 2.

Abstract

Although prior studies showed that patients with cirrhosis have a lower risk of developing liver metastases, appropriate workup of incidental liver masses in cirrhotic liver is important for a correct diagnosis. Here we present a case of newly diagnosed liver cirrhosis with multifocal hepatic lesions, which was initially categorized as a LI-RADS (Liver Imaging Reporting and Data System) 5 lesions. Scintigraphy with 111In-pentetreotide (Octreoscan) indicated a suspected thyroid nodule, later confirmed to represent medullary thyroid carcinoma lesion. The most relevant imaging finding of this rare form of thyroid malignancy is reviewed in this presentation.

Keywords: LI-RADS; cirrhosis; hepatocellular carcinoma; medullary thyroid cancer; octreoscan.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Female
  • Humans
  • Liver Cirrhosis / complications*
  • Liver Neoplasms / complications*
  • Liver Neoplasms / diagnostic imaging
  • Liver Neoplasms / secondary*
  • Middle Aged
  • Thyroid Neoplasms / pathology