The Prevalence of Hyperechoic Rim in Solid Focal Liver Lesions and Its Implication

Abstract

The objective of this study was to investigate the prevalence and clinical implications of the hyperechoic rim of liver focal solid lesions. A retrospective review was conducted of sonograms of focal liver lesions with a hyperechoic rim, as well as relative examinations such as computed tomography, magnetic resonance imaging, biopsy, resection, and histopathology reports. A cohort of 10 232 patients was found to have solid focal liver lesions (2030 malignant, 8202 benign). A hyperechoic rim was determined in 182 hemangiomas, 2 granulomas, 2 hepatocellular carcinomas (HCCs), and 4 other malignancies. There were significant differences between malignant and benign lesions ( P < .001), between HCCs and hemangiomas ( P < .001), between malignancies and hemangiomas ( P < .001), between HCCs and granulomas ( P = .044), and between other malignancies and granulomas ( P = .005). There was no significant difference between liver granulomas and hemangiomas ( P = .656). In this study, a hyperechoic rim in solid focal liver lesions appeared mainly in hemangiomas, granulomas, and rarely in malignant lesions.