Liver lesions on scans
Liver lesions are common abnormalities on your liver. You may need treatment if you have symptoms. We offer a range of tests, scans and treatments for liver lesions, as well as exceptional personal care.
What are liver lesions?
Liver lesions are areas of abnormal growth on your liver. They are often harmless (benign) and are only picked up during routine scans of your abdomen.
Some liver lesions need further investigation in case of a more serious illness, such as liver cancer. There are several types of liver lesions including cysts, haemangioma, adenomas and focal nodular hyperplasia (FNH).
Your doctor may investigate these lesions even if they are benign in order to diagnose them. Our specialists at the London Liver Group will conduct thorough investigations to provide appropriate care.
Causes
The cause of liver lesions is not always clear and can vary depending on the type of lesion. Benign liver lesions, such as hepatic adenomas, can be caused by side effects from oral contraceptive pills or anabolic steroids.
Focal nodular hyperplasia can be caused by malformation of the liver arteries. Several risk factors can increase the presence of malignant liver lesions. These include:
• Hepatitis C virus infection
• Human papillomavirus (HPV)
• Excess alcohol
• Smoking
Malignant lesions form when something damages the DNA in the liver cells and causes them to replicate too much.
Symptoms
Most liver lesions will not give you any symptoms. If the lesion becomes too large, it may interfere with the function of your liver.
Some symptoms can include:
• Pain
• Feeling sick
• Itching
• Unintentional weight loss
• Changes in bowel habit
• Darker urine
• Swollen abdomen
• Changes to your menstrual cycle
Benign liver lesions will often not have any symptoms. Malignant lesions can give you symptoms once the tumour has progressed to a later stage.
Diagnosis
Your doctor may perform different scans and blood tests to characterise the liver lesions. At the London Liver Group, our expert team has access to the latest diagnostic technology to provide accurate results.
Lesions are often picked up on ultrasound scans that are being done for a different reason. You will need a further scan to determine the exact nature of the lesion.
MRI and CT scans are used to investigate the lesion further. In rare cases, your doctor may perform a liver biopsy where they will extract a small amount of tissue to examine.
You may also need a set of blood tests to check your liver and kidney function. This is to check whether the lesion is affecting the function of your organs.
Treatments
Treatment for liver lesions depends on the type of lesion it is.
If your lesion is benign and not giving you any symptoms, your doctor may decide there is no need for treatment. They may want to monitor the lesion at a follow-up appointment.
Large lesions that obstruct the function of your liver may need surgical removal. Malignant lesions require specialist treatment to remove the cancerous tumour. This includes:
• Surgery
• Chemotherapy
• Thermal ablation – using heat to remove the cancer cells
• Radiotherapy
Our team will guide you through your diagnosis and support you at every stage of your treatment to ensure you receive the best possible outcome.