Benign focal liver lesions masquerading as primary liver cancers on MRI

Abstract

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC) are the most common primary liver malignancies. HCC and ICC have characteristic imaging findings, but a number of benign entities can appear similar and can cause diagnostic dilemma. Ideally, accurate and timely diagnosis of these conditions can help the patient to avoid a needle biopsy or even unnecessary treatment. In this article, we present various benign liver lesions that display imaging characteristics that are similar to HCC and ICC on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and discuss salient features that may assist in accurate diagnosis.