Purpose: The aim of this study is to evaluate the role of liver lesion biopsy under the interventional
radiology department in the assessment of incidental hepatic lesions in noncirrhotic
liver with the absence of any known primary malignancy and correlate with the histopathological
result.
Materials and Methods: A total of 44 patients were included in this retrospective study whom underwent liver
lesion biopsy done in King Abdulaziz Medical City, Jeddah under the interventional
radiology department among noncirrhotic or unknown primary malignancy patients. Through
a retrospective study design, the researchers reviewed the medical records of the
patients who were not known to have liver cirrhosis nor malignancy and had undergone
liver mass biopsy. Data were analyzed using SPSS ver. 26. The Chi-square test was
used to test the significance of the difference in the prognosis of the cases.
Results: Forty-four patients met the inclusion criteria, their mean age accounted for (mean ± SD;
56.7 ± 21.5 years), the main hepatic lesions were HCC (34.1%) and cholangiocarcinoma
(9.1%), the lesions were mainly solitary with a relatively large size (average 6 cm)
the identified risk factors were fatty liver, HBV and HCV, and smoking, the relevant
associated consequences were metastasis (6 cases), enlarged lymph nodes (38.6%) and
involvement of the portal vain (41.4%). A total of 9 cases showed improvement in there
condition in follow-up.
Conclusion: Liver cancer is a serious disease with a poor prognosis, it is not uncommon among
patients without previously detected cirrhosis. The main cancers are HCC and cholangiocarcinoma,
with poor prognosis. Surveillance and screening of patients who have potential risk
factors even in absences of cirrhosis are highly recommended for early diagnosis of
noncirrhotic live cancer and early intervention for a better prognosis, hence intervention
radiology has a major role in these cases with minimally invasive imaging-guided biopsies.
