Aims: Due to the recent prevalence of modalities such as ultrasonography, HBs antigen-negative and HCV antibody-negative (non-B non-C) hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) has increasingly been detected. In this study, we investigated ultrasonographic findings of non-B non-C HCC in resected cases.
Methods: The subjects comprised 30 nodules in 29 cases that were examined by ultrasonography preoperatively. Contrast ultrasonographic findings were examined in 19 nodules in 18 cases.
Results: Tumors were about 5.0 cm in diameter on average (1.6 – 16.7 cm). A mosaic pattern was observed by ultrasonography in about 73%. A halo was observed in about 43% and such an ultrasonographically typical image tended to be observed in limited cases. Tumor staining and defect images were observed at the early arterial phase and post-vascular phase, respectively, in all cases by contrast ultrasonography.
Conclusions: Non-B non-C HCC tended to be detected by ultrasonography in large diameter with moderately to poorly differentiated histology. Since patients without viral hepatitis as background liver disease were less frequently examined, the fact was suspected to be the potential reason for the results. In addition, a halo, which could be confirmed as HCC by ultrasonography, was present in a limited percentage. Since hypervascularity might often be the basis for diagnosis of HCC in such cases, it was suggested that contrast ultrasonography could be an important modality to increase diagnostic accuracy by ultrasonography.