Most benign hepatic lesions occur in isolation. The clinical and demographic phenotype in patients with more than one lesion can overlap complicating treatment decisions. This study aimed to describe the clinical and demographic characteristics of patients with benign hepatic lesions to predict the lesion using clinical data and oral contraceptive (OCP) use and find a 'clinical phenotype' to identify these patients.

This retrospective cohort study compared demographics, laboratory values, and OCP use in patients with hepatic adenoma (HA), focal nodular hyperplasia (FNH), hemangioma (HM), and cystic lesions on imaging. Differences between groups were assessed to identify independent factors associated with the different lesions.

The cohort (n = 216) contained 90 (41%) FNH, 75 (34%) cystic lesions, 47 (21%) HA, 26 (12%) HM, and 3 (1.4%) FNH+HA. Combination lesions were observed in 27 (12%) patients: HM+cyst (n = 2; 0.9%), FNH+cyst (n = 8; 3.7%), HA+cyst (n = 4; 1.9%), FNH+HM (n = 7; 3.2%), HA+HM (n = 2; 0.9%), FNH+HM+cyst (n = 1; 0.5%), and HA+FNH (n = 3; 1.4%). FNH were youngest and female. HA were young and female with highest OCP use. Patients with cystic lesions were oldest with the least OCP use. HM were male with the highest overall alkaline phosphatase (ALP) levels. Between HA and FNH, HA had significantly higher aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase, and ALP levels with lower Hgb levels.

Predicting the etiology of benign hepatic lesions based on patient demographics, common laboratory values, and a brief history including OCP use alone is difficult. However, we identified the most important demographic and laboratory values to assist in building a differential.

Echinococcosis is a zoonotic disease caused by parasites belonging to the genus Echinococcus that primarily affect the liver. The western plateau and pastoral areas of China are high-risk regions for hepatic cystic echinococcosis and hepatic alveolar echinococcosis (HAE). The high late mortality rate associated with HAE underscores the critical need for early diagnosis to improve cure rates and mitigate the disease burden in endemic areas. Currently, the World Health Organization recommends ultrasonography as the preferred initial screening method for hepatic echinococcosis. However, distinguishing between specific types of lesions, such as those of hepatic cystic echinococcosis and HAE, and other focal liver lesions is challenging. To address this issue, contrast-enhanced ultrasound is recommended as a tool to differentiate solid and cysto-solid hepatic echinococcosis from other focal liver lesions, significantly enhancing diagnostic accuracy. In this comprehensive review, we discuss the progression of hepatic echinococcosis and detail the imaging features of various types of echinococcosis using conventional, contrast-enhanced, and intraoperative ultrasound techniques. Our objective is to provide robust imaging evidence and guidance for early diagnosis, clinical decision making, and postoperative follow-up in regions with high disease prevalence.

Focal nodular hyperplasia (FNH) is the second most common benign hepatic tumor and can rarely present as an exophytic solitary mass attached to the liver by a stalk. Most FNH cases are usually detected as incidental findings during surgery, imaging or physical examination and have a high female predominance. However, the pedunculated forms of FNH are particularly rare and commonly associated with severe complications and diagnostic challenges. Hence, our study aims to provide a comprehensive summary of the available data on the pedunculated FNH cases among adults and children. Furthermore, we will highlight the role of different therapeutic options in treating this clinical entity. The use of imaging techniques is considered a significant addition to the diagnostic toolbox. Regarding the optimal treatment strategy, the main indications for surgery were the presence of symptoms, diagnostic uncertainty and increased risk of complications, based on the current literature. Herein, we also propose a management algorithm for patients with suspected FNH lesions. Therefore, a high index of suspicion and awareness of this pathology and its life-threatening complications, as an uncommon etiology of acute abdomen, is of utmost importance in order to achieve better clinical outcomes.

Minimally invasive liver resection of the posterosuperior region is considered a challenging procedure due to poor exposure and difficult bleeding control. A robotic approach is supposed to be advantageous in posterosuperior segmentectomy. Its benefits over laparoscopic liver resection (LLR) remain undetermined. This study compared robotic liver resection (RLR) and LLR in the posterosuperior region performed by a single surgeon.

We retrospectively analyzed consecutive RLR and LLR performed by a single surgeon between December 2020 and March 2022. Patient characteristics and perioperative variables were compared. A 1:1 propensity score matched (PSM) analysis was performed between both groups.

The analysis included 48 RLR and 57 LLR procedures in the posterosuperior region. After PSM analysis, 41 cases of both groups were retained. In pre-PSM cohort, the operative time in the RLR group was significantly shorter than in the LLR group (160 vs. 208 min, P = 0.001), especially in radical resection of malignant tumors (176 vs. 231 min, P = 0.004). The total Pringle maneuver duration was also markedly shorter (40 vs. 51 min, P = 0.047), and the estimated blood loss in the RLR group was lower (92 vs. 150 mL, P = 0.005). The postoperative hospital stay (POHS) in the RLR group was significantly shorter (5.4 vs. 7.5 days, P = 0.048). In PSM cohort, operative time in the RLR group was also significantly shorter (163 vs. 193 min, P = 0.036), and the estimated blood loss was lower (92 vs. 144 mL, P = 0.024). However, the total Pringle maneuver duration and POHS showed no significant difference. The complications were similar between two groups in both pre-PSM and PSM cohorts.

RLR in the posterosuperior region was as safe and feasible as LLR. RLR was associated with reduced operative time and blood loss than LLR.

Fine needle aspiration (FNA) of the liver is frequently the diagnostic procedure of choice for sampling hepatic lesions. One of the main diagnostic challenges in the interpretation of liver FNA is distinguishing dysplastic lesions and well-differentiated hepatocellular carcinoma (WD-HCC) from benign processes, as they share significant cytomorphologic overlap. Furthermore, the diagnosis of HCC often requires evaluation of stroma for invasion, which may not be present on cytology and small needle biopsy specimens. A reporting system for liver cytopathology has yet to be instituted. Without standardized and well-defined criteria for hepatocyte atypia, we recommend limiting the use of atypia in evaluation of liver FNA specimens to describe a diagnosis of exclusion, in which all known benign and neoplastic processes have been ruled out. The cytologic findings on the FNA of a liver nodule may be best reported as atypical hepatocytes in the absence of a core needle biopsy or cell block sufficient to render a definitive diagnosis of HCC.