One stop shop approach for the diagnosis of liver hemangioma

Hepatic hemangioma is usually detected on a routine ultrasound examination because of silent clinical behaviour. The typical ultrasound appearance of hemangioma is easily recognizable and quickly guides the diagnosis without the need for further investigation. But there is also an entire spectrum of atypical and uncommon ultrasound features and our review comes to detail these particular aspects. An atypical aspect in standard ultrasound leads to the continuation of explorations with an imaging investigation with contrast substance [ultrasound/ computed tomography/or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)]. For a clinician who practices ultrasound and has an ultrasound system in the room, the easiest, fastest, non-invasive and cost-effective method is contrast enhanced ultrasound (CEUS). Approximately 85% of patients are correctly diagnosed with this method and the patient has the correct diagnosis in about 30 min without fear of malignancy and without waiting for a computer tomography (CT)/MRI appointment. In less than 15% of patients CEUS does not provide a conclusive appearance; thus, CT scan or MRI becomes mandatory and liver biopsy is rarely required. The aim of this updated review is to synthesize the typical and atypical ultrasound aspects of hepatic hemangioma in the adult patient and to propose a fast, non-invasive and cost-effective clinical-ultrasound algorithm for the diagnosis of hepatic hemangioma.