A resected case of well-differenciated hepatocellular carcinoma, 6.0mm in diameter with capsule and lipiodol accumulation

Abstract

A 32-year-old male had been followed for Hepatitis C virus antibody positive liver cirrhosis. He was pointed out elevation of AFP and hospitalized for further examinations. Angiography revealed no tumor stain in the liver, but lipiodol infused from hepatic artery was accumulated in the postero-inferior segment of the right lobe. The size was 6mm×6mm. Thus this lesion was diagnosed as HCC and was resected.
The tumor was well-differentiated HCC (Edmondson's grade I-II), 3.0mm in diameter and had capsule histologically. It is rare that such a small HCC has a capsule and lipiodol accumulation. This case elicits a matter of great concern about imaging diagnosis of early HCC and correlation with tumor diffferentiation and size.