Angiographic assessment of gross anatomy of hepatocellular cardinoma: comparison of celiac angiograms and liver pathology in 100 cases.

Of 190 sets selective celiac and/or hepatic angiograms obtained in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), comparison with gross anatomy of the liver was subsequently made by autopsy in 77 and by surgery in 23. It was found that the gross anatomy of HCC can be assessed with certain accuracy by careful interpretation of the angiograms, because tumor vasculature and vascular alterations in the noncancerous parenchyma are closely related to the mode of tumor growth, size of tumor nodules and their distribution. Even a fibrous capsule of the tumor may be discerned as a radiolucent zone around the tumor contour. Diagnosis of the gross anatomical type of HCC is important to the selection of therapeutic measure and assessment of prognosis.