Introduction Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the most common cancer in the world, and the effectiveness of its treatment lies in its detection in its early stages. The aim of this study is to mimic HCC dynamically through a liver phantom and apply it in multimodality medical imaging techniques including magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), computed tomography (CT), and ultrasound. Methods and materials The phantom is fabricated with two main parts, liver parenchyma and HCC inserts. The liver parenchyma was fabricated by adding 2.5 wt% of agarose powder combined with 2.6 wt% of wax powder while the basic material for the HCC samples was made from polyurethane solution combined with 5 wt% glycerol. Three HCC samples were inserted into the parenchyma by using three cylinders implanted inside the liver parenchyma. An automatic injector is attached to the input side of the cylinders and a suction device connected to the output side of the cylinders. After the phantom was prepared, the contrast materials were injected into the phantom and imaged using MRI, CT, and ultrasound. Results Both HCC samples and liver parenchyma were clearly distinguished using the three imaging modalities: MRI, CT, and ultrasound. Doppler ultrasound was also applied through the HCC samples and the flow pattern was observed through the samples. Conclusion A multimodal dynamic liver phantom, with HCC tumor models have been fabricated. This phantom helps to improve and develop different methods for detecting HCC in its early stages.

No abstract

No abstract

No abstract

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the most common primary malignant tumour of the liver, and is globally considered to be a major causes of cancer-associated mortality. The early diagnosis of HCC improves overall survival through the application of suitable treatment options. This article presents some of the techniques for the surveillance of HCC like ultrasonography and the use of tumour biomarkers such as α-fetoprotein (AFP), DesGamma-Carboxy Prothrombin (DCP) and others. Included in the discussion will be diagnostic methods like computed tomography (CT), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), contrast enhancement ultrasound (CEUS), and fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography hybrid with computed tomography (FDG PET/CT). Current molecular pathogenesis related to HCC and the molecular steps that determine the transition from benign to malignancy are also analysed. The HCC stages which depends on the Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer (BCLC) algorithm are also discussed. Finally, this review article discusses the present therapeutic and treatment options for HCC such as resection, transplantation, or ablation used to treat early stage cancer. Also included will be trans-arterial chemoembolization (TACE) and Sorafenib for patients with intermediate and advanced-stage cancer, respectively.