Often discovered by chance on an ultrasound or CT scan performed for another reason, the liver nodule is usually a benign and asymptomatic lesion. In 1% of cases, these nodules are cancerous.
Definition: what is a liver nodule?
A nodule is a abnormal formationusually rounded, which develops in the thickness of a fabric or in an organ. Liver nodules are very frequent. “If most of them are mild like hepatic cysts or bile or thenodular hyperplasia, some will however require monitoring because they can grow and lead to surgical excision (removal, editor’s note)” explains Dr. Marion Lagneau gastroenterologist. THE angiomasfor example, are almost always benign but some of them, larger, may require monitoring to check that they are not progressing pathologically. In 1% of cases, they are cancerous and can then be the result of a primary liver cancer or the metastasis from another cancer from a distance.
Benign liver nodule: what does that mean?
A nodule is considered benign when it is not not of cancerous origin and that his cells are healthy. It gives no symptoms, and does not progress to a more serious pathology. The nodules can be small (less than 10 mm), intermediate (between 10 mm and 3 cm) or large (more than 3 cm).
Micro nodule in the liver: what does that mean?
Micro nodules are nodules whose size is less than 10 millimeters in diameter.
Is it serious to have a nodule in the liver?
In most cases, the liver nodules are benign and do not require treatment or even monitoring. They don’t explain the abdominal pain.
What are the symptoms of a liver nodule?
In the liver, the nodule forms a little ball within liver tissue. Whether benign or more rarely malignant, it is usually responsible forno symptoms. If the size is large, sometimes more than 5 cm in diameter, some nodules can lead to gravity or some pains. “Often patients with a nodular image in their liver think that the nodule is responsible for their pain, but most of the time this is not the case. The pain most often has another origin” says Dr. Lagneau.
Focal nodular hyperplasia mainly affects women.
What causes a liver nodule?
The causes of liver nodule differ depending on their nature. The hepatic angioma and cyst are generally of congenital origin, adenoma hepatic is often caused by oral contraception in women and focal nodular hyperplasia mainly affects women without the cause being known. Concerning liver cancer, it is the hepatitis B and C viruses as well as alcohol that are the main contributing factors.
Diagnosis: scanner, MRI, biopsy to detect the nodule in the liver
The nodule in the liver easily detects through ultrasound. Sometimes, many nodules are discovered during this examination, but it is not therefore more serious. As the specialist points out “hepatic cysts can be multiple, and even associated with renal cysts. polycystosis“. Certain images are clearly diagnostic on ultrasound and do not require any other examination: these are cysts and small angiomas. Other images will have to be specified by scanner and/or MRI in order to characterize the anomalies with more precision. “The radiological images provide indications of their potential nature and, in the slightest doubt, a biopsy for cellular analysis is proposed” adds Dr. Lagneau. Liver biopsy is performed under local anesthesia using a fine needle. It makes it possible to make the diagnosis if the nodules could not be formally identified on imaging.
What are the treatments for a liver nodule?
He depends on the nature of the nodule. Most of the time, the nodules are benign and asymptomatic and therefore do not require treatment. Biliary cysts can grow significantly and exceptionally become complicated and require treatment (alcoholization by ultrasound or surgery as a last resort). “I’focal nodular hyperplasia, although sometimes impressive in size, does not require treatment. On the other hand, the adenomas are possibly at risk of evolution” explains the gastroenterologist. It is desirable tostop taking hormones (contraception). In the absence of regression, surgery is then discussed.
Thanks to Dr. Marion Lagneau gastroenterologist.