How to differentiate between liver cirrhosis and intrahepatic hemangioma
Disease description:
My grandfather has recently been experiencing a sallow complexion, and his liver occasionally feels painful. He has been worrying whether these symptoms might be caused by cirrhosis or an intrahepatic vascular tumor. How can cirrhosis and intrahepatic vascular tumors be differentiated?
Doctor's answer (1)
Dr. Shen Yonghua
Liver cirrhosis and intrahepatic hemangioma are two distinct liver diseases that can be differentiated in the following ways:
1. **Nature of the disease**: Liver cirrhosis is a chronic, progressive liver disease primarily caused by fibrous tissue proliferation following extensive hepatocyte necrosis; intrahepatic hemangioma, especially cavernous hemangioma, is a relatively common benign liver tumor.
2. **Clinical presentation**: In its early stages, liver cirrhosis may be asymptomatic, while in advanced stages, symptoms such as loss of appetite, nausea, and jaundice may develop. In contrast, intrahepatic hemangioma often presents without obvious symptoms and is commonly detected incidentally during ultrasound examinations or abdominal surgeries.
3. **Etiology**: Liver cirrhosis is mainly caused by factors such as viral hepatitis and alcohol intoxication, whereas intrahepatic hemangioma may arise from congenital vascular malformations.
4. **Diagnostic methods**: Diagnosis of liver cirrhosis requires a combination of medical history, liver function tests, and imaging studies such as ultrasound or CT. Intrahepatic hemangioma is primarily diagnosed through imaging techniques including ultrasound, CT, or MRI.
