Ultrasound or Sectional Imaging Techniques as Screening Tools for Hepatocellular Carcinoma: Fall Forward or Move Forward?
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is probably the epitome of a screening target, with a well-defined high-risk population, accessible screening methods, and multiple curative-intent treatments available for early disease. Per major societies guideline consensus, biannual ultrasound (US) surveillance of...
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Format: | Article |
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MDPI AG
2021-02-01
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Series: | Journal of Clinical Medicine |
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Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2077-0383/10/5/903 |
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author | Zeno Sparchez Rares Craciun Cosmin Caraiani Adelina Horhat Iuliana Nenu Bogdan Procopet Mihaela Sparchez Horia Stefanescu Tudor Mocan |
author_facet | Zeno Sparchez Rares Craciun Cosmin Caraiani Adelina Horhat Iuliana Nenu Bogdan Procopet Mihaela Sparchez Horia Stefanescu Tudor Mocan |
author_sort | Zeno Sparchez |
collection | DOAJ |
description | Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is probably the epitome of a screening target, with a well-defined high-risk population, accessible screening methods, and multiple curative-intent treatments available for early disease. Per major societies guideline consensus, biannual ultrasound (US) surveillance of the at-risk patients is the current standard of care worldwide. Yet, despite its documented success in the past decades, this standard is far from perfect. While the whole community is working to further tighten the knots, a worrying number of cases still slip through this safety net. Consequently, these patients lose their chance to a curative solution which leads to a high disease burden with disproportionate mortality. While US will probably remain the fundamental staple in the screening strategy, key questions are seeking better answers. How can its caveats be addressed, and the technique be improved? When are further steps needed? How to increase accuracy without giving up on accessibility? This narrative review discusses the place of US surveillance in the bigger HCC picture, trying to navigate through its strengths and limits based on the most recent available evidence. |
first_indexed | 2024-03-09T00:33:28Z |
format | Article |
id | doaj.art-6ae0d4a6834d4ad0b44f5138f45d47a1 |
institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
issn | 2077-0383 |
language | English |
last_indexed | 2024-03-09T00:33:28Z |
publishDate | 2021-02-01 |
publisher | MDPI AG |
record_format | Article |
series | Journal of Clinical Medicine |
spelling | doaj.art-6ae0d4a6834d4ad0b44f5138f45d47a12023-12-11T18:22:07ZengMDPI AGJournal of Clinical Medicine2077-03832021-02-0110590310.3390/jcm10050903Ultrasound or Sectional Imaging Techniques as Screening Tools for Hepatocellular Carcinoma: Fall Forward or Move Forward?Zeno Sparchez0Rares Craciun1Cosmin Caraiani2Adelina Horhat3Iuliana Nenu4Bogdan Procopet5Mihaela Sparchez6Horia Stefanescu7Tudor Mocan83rd Medical Department, “Iuliu Hatieganu” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 400162 Cluj-Napoca, Romania3rd Medical Department, “Iuliu Hatieganu” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 400162 Cluj-Napoca, RomaniaDepartment of Medical Imaging, “Iuliu Hatieganu” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 400012 Cluj-Napoca, Romania3rd Medical Department, “Iuliu Hatieganu” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 400162 Cluj-Napoca, Romania3rd Medical Department, “Iuliu Hatieganu” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 400162 Cluj-Napoca, Romania3rd Medical Department, “Iuliu Hatieganu” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 400162 Cluj-Napoca, RomaniaPaediatric Department, “Iuliu Hatieganu” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 400012 Cluj-Napoca, RomaniaRegional Institute of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, 400162 Cluj-Napoca, Romania3rd Medical Department, “Iuliu Hatieganu” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 400162 Cluj-Napoca, RomaniaHepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is probably the epitome of a screening target, with a well-defined high-risk population, accessible screening methods, and multiple curative-intent treatments available for early disease. Per major societies guideline consensus, biannual ultrasound (US) surveillance of the at-risk patients is the current standard of care worldwide. Yet, despite its documented success in the past decades, this standard is far from perfect. While the whole community is working to further tighten the knots, a worrying number of cases still slip through this safety net. Consequently, these patients lose their chance to a curative solution which leads to a high disease burden with disproportionate mortality. While US will probably remain the fundamental staple in the screening strategy, key questions are seeking better answers. How can its caveats be addressed, and the technique be improved? When are further steps needed? How to increase accuracy without giving up on accessibility? This narrative review discusses the place of US surveillance in the bigger HCC picture, trying to navigate through its strengths and limits based on the most recent available evidence.https://www.mdpi.com/2077-0383/10/5/903hepatocellular carcinomaultrasound surveillancesectional imagingearly detection |
spellingShingle | Zeno Sparchez Rares Craciun Cosmin Caraiani Adelina Horhat Iuliana Nenu Bogdan Procopet Mihaela Sparchez Horia Stefanescu Tudor Mocan Ultrasound or Sectional Imaging Techniques as Screening Tools for Hepatocellular Carcinoma: Fall Forward or Move Forward? Journal of Clinical Medicine hepatocellular carcinoma ultrasound surveillance sectional imaging early detection |
title | Ultrasound or Sectional Imaging Techniques as Screening Tools for Hepatocellular Carcinoma: Fall Forward or Move Forward? |
title_full | Ultrasound or Sectional Imaging Techniques as Screening Tools for Hepatocellular Carcinoma: Fall Forward or Move Forward? |
title_fullStr | Ultrasound or Sectional Imaging Techniques as Screening Tools for Hepatocellular Carcinoma: Fall Forward or Move Forward? |
title_full_unstemmed | Ultrasound or Sectional Imaging Techniques as Screening Tools for Hepatocellular Carcinoma: Fall Forward or Move Forward? |
title_short | Ultrasound or Sectional Imaging Techniques as Screening Tools for Hepatocellular Carcinoma: Fall Forward or Move Forward? |
title_sort | ultrasound or sectional imaging techniques as screening tools for hepatocellular carcinoma fall forward or move forward |
topic | hepatocellular carcinoma ultrasound surveillance sectional imaging early detection |
url | https://www.mdpi.com/2077-0383/10/5/903 |
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