"Lesions"

[Hayley1974]

Hi everyone , I'm 42 and since December I have been having symptoms consistent with gallstones. I eventually went to the doctors in March and had my bloods checked they were all within normal range except a slight rise in alkaline phosphatase.  I had my ultrasound yesterday morning and the GPS practice called me back in in the afternoon. She took a brief history before telling me that my scan showed 3 lesions in my liver . This freaked me out and the only question I managed to ask was how big they were and she said the biggest was 10cm x 8cm . She requested another complete set of bloods with some extra one's including hepatitis screen which were taken also a chest  x ray which was also done there and then . This morning I received a call with an appt to see a gastro doctor. My main symptoms at the moment are dull pain around my liver area under my ribs and occasional sharp pains going through to my back also intermittent bloating up around my ribs. Any ideas / advice would be much appreciated as I'm driving myself mad trying to guess etc . Thanks

[Bolly]

Are you sure they said cm not mm? 10x8 cm is pretty big for a lesion! That's a bit smaller than a postcard size, I'm not surprised you have pain and bloating if you really have something that large.

You should ask about an MRI for confirmation of what this "lesion" is.

[Hayley1974 in reply to Bolly]

Hi Bolly , yes I'm fairly sure that's what she said. On the report she was reading on the screen she said it was in mm then converted it to cm . I could have misheard but would such a small lesion account for the symptoms x

[Bolly in reply to Hayley1974]

If the measurements had been in mm she would have said 100mm X 80mm? 

A 1 X 0.8cm lesion sounds more likely to me.

[Bolly]

All sorts of lumps and bumps can be on a liver: lesions, fatty deposits, cysts, nodules, benign tumours, cancerous tumours. An ultrasound can generally only pick up fairly large "spots" or "lumps" and can't differentiate accurately between benign and sinister. If there is any doubt as to what is on the image a doctor will usually order at least a CT and preferably an MRI to make an accurate diagnosis of what they saw on the US. 

It might be that something has inflamed your liver and that it is pressing on nerves or other abdominal organs causing your symptoms. It might not be the lesion at all, unless it really is something 10x8 cm in which case it's almost as big as the whole liver, which in adults is around 15cm across 

[Hayley1974]

Hopefully I got it wrong . 10cm x 8cm is big but some liver cysts can be a lot bigger than that even ! I have been given a fast track appt to see the gastro Dr next week .

[carmik]

You need to see a hepatologist rather than gastroenterologist. 

Gastrointestinal deals with many abdomen issues,  hepatologist, liver only

Which is where you need to go

Good luck

[Hayley1974 in reply to carmik]

Thanks carmik. 

The consultant I've been referred to works within the gastro dept at my local hospital out of the four consultants he is the one who deals mainly with the liver not sure if his official title is a hepatologist but it's a good start x

[Bolly]

So at this stage, because the imaging was via ultrasound, the docs cant say whether the 'lesion' is  a benign lesion, a cyst, an hemangioma, a focal nodular hyperplasia (FNH) an adenoma, or a malignant lesions?

The only experience i have of someone with a 'lesion' that large was someone who had fibrolamellar where the mass was sitting within the abdominal cavity next to the liver.  A lesion the size of yours would give you the equivalent of another liver within the same space!  

I hope the docs will send you for either a CT or MRI to get a definite diagnosis. 

[Mama41]

I had a 22cm tumour removed from my liver almost 8 years ago. I didn't really have any symptoms apart from indigestion and some shoulder pain. 

I was originally diagnosed with FNH (a benign liver condition) 

Did you get the results of your chest X-ray yet? I would advise getting referred to a hepatologist rather than a gastroenterologist if it does turn out to be something serious. 

[Hayley1974 in reply to Mama41]

Hi I've been to see my consultant this evening he seems to think the most likely diagnosis would be Fnh, the lesions are in the right lobe of the liver and the largest one is 108mm x 86 mm he's requested CT scans which will be next week then will see me again. 

[Mama41 in reply to Hayley1974]

I was told mine was FNH but unfortunately it turned out to be cancer. 

Even after an MRI and a CT scan it was still misdiagnosed. The only way to know for sure ( other than surgery) is to have the lesions biopsied. 

[kmerchy in reply to Mama41]

mama41, how did they find out it was cancer instead?

[Mama41 in reply to kmerchy]

After surgery....maybe you could start a new thread and ask any questions you've got.

[q_62 in reply to Hayley1974]

Any news Hayley ? Hope all is positive

[kmerchy]

Hi Hayley, can I get an update on your situation? What did it turn out to be? I have FNH.