J Korean Radiol Soc.  1988 Dec;24(6):1122-1129. 10.3348/jkrs.1988.24.6.1122.

Skeletal metastases from primary hepatocellular carcinoma

• Kim SS
• Huh JD
• Kim HJ
• Chun BH
• Joh YD
• Chang HK
• Huh MH

• KMID: 2359189
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.3348/jkrs.1988.24.6.1122

Abstract

In order to detect and to evaluate the frequency, the distribution and the radiological findings of skeletalmetastases from hepatocellular carcinoma, the authors retrospectively analyzed radiographic, scintigraphic, and CTfindings of 257 patients with hepatocellular carcinoma. The results were as follows: 1. Skeletal metastases weredemonstrated in 21 patients (8.2%) 2. Frequent symptoms were pain, limitation of motion, paralysis, and mass. Innine of them the initial symptoms were due to skeletal metastases. 3. The common sites of metastases were spine(13 cases), ribs (8 cases ), pelvis (8 cases) and femur (6 cases). Humerus, skull and sternum were also frequentlyinvolved. 4. Plain film findings were purely osteolytic in all cases and pathologic fractures were noted in 5cases. 5. The lesions appear expansile in 7 cases, and 4 of them showed associated soft tissue masses on CT scans.6. Bone scans were performed in 13 cases of them and showed increased radiotracer uptake in all. 7. Angiographicstudies of 3 cases showed hypevascularity of the metastatic lesions as well as the primary hepatic tumor.

MeSH Terms

Carcinoma, Hepatocellular*
Femur
Fractures, Spontaneous
Humans
Humerus
Neoplasm Metastasis*
Paralysis
Pelvis
Retrospective Studies
Ribs
Skull
Sternum