SCIENTIFIC AND INFORMATION-ANALYTICAL MAGAZINE

ISSN 1024-6177 (Print), ISSN 2618-9615 (Online)

JOURNAL DESCRIPTION

The Medical Radiology and Radiation Safety journal ISSN 1024-6177 was founded in January 1956 (before December 30, 1993 it was entitled Medical Radiology, ISSN 0025-8334). In 2018, the journal received Online ISSN: 2618-9615 and was registered as an electronic online publication in Roskomnadzor on March 29, 2018. It publishes original research articles which cover questions of radiobiology, radiation medicine, radiation safety, radiation therapy, nuclear medicine and scientific reviews. In general the journal has more than 30 headings and it is of interest for specialists working in thefields of medicine¸ radiation biology, epidemiology, medical physics and technology. Since July 01, 2008 the journal has been published by State Research Center - Burnasyan Federal Medical Biophysical Center of Federal Medical Biological Agency. The founder from 1956 to the present time is the Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation, and from 2008 to the present time is the Federal Medical Biological Agency.

Members of the editorial board are scientists specializing in the field of radiation biology and medicine, radiation protection, radiation epidemiology, radiation oncology, radiation diagnostics and therapy, nuclear medicine and medical physics. The editorial board consists of academicians (members of the Russian Academy of Science (RAS)), the full member of Academy of Medical Sciences of the Republic of Armenia, corresponding members of the RAS, Doctors of Medicine, professor, candidates and doctors of biological, physical mathematics and engineering sciences. The editorial board is constantly replenished by experts who work in the CIS and foreign countries.

Six issues of the journal are published per year, the volume is 13.5 conventional printed sheets, 88 printer’s sheets, 1.000 copies. The journal has an identical full-text electronic version, which, simultaneously with the printed version and color drawings, is posted on the sites of the Scientific Electronic Library (SEL) and the journal's website. The journal is distributed through the Rospechat Agency under the contract № 7407 of June 16, 2006, through individual buyers and commercial structures. The publication of articles is free.

The journal is included in the List of Russian Reviewed Scientific Journals of the Higher Attestation Commission. Since 2008 the journal has been available on the Internet and indexed in the RISC database which is placed on Web of Science. Since February 2nd, 2018, the journal "Medical Radiology and Radiation Safety" has been indexed in the SCOPUS abstract and citation database.

Brief electronic versions of the Journal have been publicly available since 2005 on the website of the Medical Radiology and Radiation Safety Journal: http://www.medradiol.ru. Since 2011, all issues of the journal as a whole are publicly available, and since 2016 - full-text versions of scientific articles. Since 2005, subscribers can purchase full versions of other articles of any issue only through the National Electronic Library. The editor of the Medical Radiology and Radiation Safety Journal in accordance with the National Electronic Library agreement has been providing the Library with all its production since 2005 until now.

The main working language of the journal is Russian, an additional language is English, which is used to write titles of articles, information about authors, annotations, key words, a list of literature.

Since 2017 the journal Medical Radiology and Radiation Safety has switched to digital identification of publications, assigning to each article the identifier of the digital object (DOI), which greatly accelerated the search for the location of the article on the Internet. In future it is planned to publish the English-language version of the journal Medical Radiology and Radiation Safety for its development. In order to obtain information about the publication activity of the journal in March 2015, a counter of readers' references to the materials posted on the site from 2005 to the present which is placed on the journal's website. During 2015 - 2016 years on average there were no more than 100-170 handlings per day. Publication of a number of articles, as well as electronic versions of profile monographs and collections in the public domain, dramatically increased the number of handlings to the journal's website to 500 - 800 per day, and the total number of visits to the site at the end of 2017 was more than 230.000.

The two-year impact factor of RISC, according to data for 2017, was 0.439, taking into account citation from all sources - 0.570, and the five-year impact factor of RISC - 0.352.

Medical Radiology and Radiation Safety. 2026. Vol. 71. № 2

DOI:10.33266/1024-6177-2026-71-2-101-106

V.P. Neustroev

Visual Similarity of Malignant Neoplasms and Alternative Lesions on Human Liver Tomograms

N.N. Blokhin National Medical Research Center of Oncology, Moscow, Russia

Contact person: V.P. Neustroev, e-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

 

ABSTRACT

Purpose: To summarize data on liver pathologies mimicking malignant neoplasms in radiological studies and to describe their visual similarities and differences with primary and metastatic cancer.

Background: Differential diagnosis of focal liver lesions remains challenging due to overlapping imaging features of malignancies and various benign conditions.

Material and methods: A search of PubMed, eLibrary, and CyberLeninka for 2009–2025 was performed. Articles describing liver lesions that can simulate malignant tumors on CT, MRI, PET were selected. Textural and morphological signs as well as clinical cases of misdiagnosis were analyzed.

Results: Seven groups of mimickers were identified: inflammatory pseudotumors, vascular anomalies, infectious and parasitic lesions, metabolic changes, cystic and biliary formations, posttraumatic and iatrogenic deformities, regenerative and dysplastic nodules. Differential diagnostic radiological features are presented for each group. Standard visual assessment of tomograms is often insufficient due to overlapping characteristics, and radiomics is a promising direction.

Conclusion: Knowledge of the wide spectrum of liver lesion mimickers is essential for clinical practice and for building reference datasets in radiomics.

Keywords: differential diagnosis, liver metastases, liver cancer, tumor mimickers, MRI, CT, tomogram, radiomics, texture analysis

For citation: Neustroev VP. Visual Similarity of Malignant Neoplasms and Alternative Lesions on Human Liver Tomograms. Medical Radiology and Radiation Safety. 2026;71(2):101–106. DOI:10.33266/1024-6177-2026-71-2-101-106

 

References

  1. Marrero J.A., Kulik L.M., Sirlin C.B, et al. Diagnosis, Staging, and Management of Hepatocellular Carcinoma: 2018 Practice Guidance by the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases. Hepatology. 2018;68;2:723-750. Doi: 10.1002/hep.29913.
  2. Бредер В.В., Алиханов Р.Б., Багненко С.С. и др. Скрининг и ранняя диагностика гепатоцеллюлярного рака и оптимизация методов диагностической визуализации: обзор литературы и заключение совета экспертов // Российский журнал гастроэнтерологии, гепатологии, колопроктологии. 2022. Т.32. №5. С. 16-23 [Breder V.V., Alikhanov R.B., Bagnenko S.S., et al. Screening and Early Diagnosis of Hepatocellular Carcinoma and Optimization of Diagnostic Imaging Methods: a Literature Review and Expert Opinion. Rossiyskiy Zhurnal Gastroenterologii, Gepatologii, Koloproktologii = Russian Journal of Gastroenterology, Hepatology, Coloproctology. 2022;32;5:16-23 (In Russ.)]. Doi: 10.22416/1382-4376-2022-32-5-16-23.
  3. Gaillard F., Hacking C., Southi J., et al. Hepatic Metastases. Radiopaedia.org. 2026;1 Jan. Doi: 10.53347/rID-6931.
  4. Пальцев М.А., Кактурский Л.В., Зайратьянц О.В. Патологическая анатомия: Национальное руководство. М.: ГЭОТАР-Медиа, 2014. 1264 с. [Pal’tsev M.A., Kakturskiy L.V., Zayrat’yants O.V., et al. Patologicheskaya Anatomiya = Pathological Anatomy. National Guidelines. Moscow, GEOTAR-Media Publ.,2014. 1264 p. (In Russ.)].
  5. Manns M.P., Shiffman M.L., Garcia-Tsao G., et al. Boyer’s Hepatology. A Textbook of Liver Disease. Elsevier, Zakim and Amsterdam, 2023. 1152 p.
  6. Burt A.D., Ferrell L.D., Hübscher S.G. Macsween’s Pathology of the Liver. Philadelphia, Elsevier, 2024. 1092 p.
  7. Ghenciu L.A., Grigoras M.L., Rosu L.M., et al. Differentiating Liver Metastases from Primary Liver Cancer: A Retrospective Study of Imaging and Pathological Features in Patients with Histopathological Confirmation. Biomedicines. 2025;13;1:164. Doi: 10.3390/biomedicines13010164.
  8. Chhieng D.C. Fine Needle Aspiration Biopsy of Liver - an Update. World J Surg Oncol. 2004;2:5. Doi: 10.1186/1477-7819-2-5.
  9. Rockey D.C., Caldwell S.H., Goodman Z.D., et al. Liver Biopsy. Hepatology. 2009;49;3:1017-1044. Doi: 10.1002/hep.22742.
  10. Бредер В.В. Диагностика рака печени: без права на ошибку // Медицинский совет. 2014. №8. С. 34-38 [Breder V.V. Diagnosis of Liver Cancer: no Room for Error. Meditsinskiy Sovet = Medical Council. 2014;8:34-38 (In Russ.)].
  11. Chernyak V., Fowler K.J., Kamaya A., et al. Liver Imaging Reporting and Data System (LI-RADS) Version 2018: Imaging of Hepatocellular Carcinoma in At-Risk Patients. Radiology. 2018;289;3:816-830. Doi: 10.1148/radiol.2018181494.
  12. Сметанина С.В., Славнова Е.Н., Сметанина О.В., и др. Особенности дифференциальной цитологической диагностики первичных и метастатических карцином печени // Клиническая лабораторная диагностика. 2021. Т.66. №6. С. 364-370 [Smetanina S.V., Slavnova Ye.N., Smetanina O.V., et al. Features of Differential Cytological Diagnostics of Primary and Metastatic Liver Carcinomas. Klinicheskaya Laboratornaya Diagnostika = Clinical Laboratory Diagnostics. 2021;66;6:364-370 (In Russ.)]. Doi: 10.51620/0869-2084-2021-66-6-364-370.
  13. Mathew S.J., Nayak A., Dash S., Dakua S.P. Complexities in Liver Biopsy: the Role of Navigation and Fusion Imaging. Egypt Liver J. 2023;13:61. Doi: 10.1186/s43066-023-00293-5.
  14. Salles-Silva E., de Castro P.L., Ambrozino L.C., et al. Rare Benign Liver Tumors: Current Insights and Imaging Challenges. Semin Ultrasound CT MR. 2025;46;3:154-160. Doi: 10.1053/j.sult.2025.04.006.
  15. Anderson S.W., Kruskal J.B., Kane R.A. Benign Hepatic Tumors and Iatrogenic Pseudotumors. Radiographics. 2009;29;1:211-229. Doi: 10.1148/rg.291085099.
  16. Elsayes K.M., Chernyak V., Morshid A.I., et al. Spectrum of Pitfalls, Pseudolesions, and Potential Misdiagnoses in Cirrhosis. AJR Am J Roentgenol. 2018;211;1:87-96. Doi: 10.2214/AJR.18.19781.
  17. Lee N.K., Kim S., Kim D.U., et al. Diffusion-Weighted Magnetic Resonance Imaging for Non-Neoplastic Conditions in the Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Regions: Pearls and Potential Pitfalls in Imaging Interpretation. Abdom Imaging. 2015;40;3:643-662. Doi: 10.1007/s00261-014-0235-5.
  18. Gatti M., Maino C., Tore D., et al. Benign Focal Liver Lesions: the Role of Magnetic Resonance Imaging. World J Hepatol. 2022;14;5:923-943. Doi: 10.4254/wjh.v14.i5.923.
  19. Lubner M.G., Smith A.D., Sandrasegaran K., et al. CT Texture Analysis: Definitions, Applications, Biologic Correlates, and Challenges. Radiographics. 2017;37;5:1483-1503. Doi: 10.1148/rg.2017170056.
  20. Subramanian M., Low H.M., Kim M.J., Tan C.H. Benign Focal Liver Lesions Masquerading as Primary Liver Cancers on MRI. Diagn Interv Radiol. 2020;26;3:168-175. Doi: 10.5152/dir.2019.19235.
  21. Iguchi H., Yamazaki H., Tsunoda H., et al. A Case of Inflammatory Pseudotumor of the Liver Mimicking Hepatocellular Carcinoma on EOB-MRI and PET. Case Rep Med. 2013;2013:594254. Doi: 10.1155/2013/594254.
  22. Barabino M., Piccolo G., Tramacere A., et al. Inflammatory Pseudotumor of the Liver or Intrahepatic Cholangiocarcinoma, that’s the Question: A Review of the Literature. Cancers (Basel). 2024;16;17:2926. Doi: 10.3390/cancers16172926.
  23. Mathieu D., Rahmouni A., Vasile N., et al. Sclerosed Liver Hemangioma Mimicking Malignant Tumor at MR Imaging: Pathologic Correlation. J Magn Reson Imaging. 1994;4;3:506-508. Doi: 10.1002/jmri.1880040344.
  24. Poras M., Katsanos G., Agrafiotis A.C., et al. Case Report: Sclerosed Hemangioma of the Liver: A Diagnostic Challenge. Front Surg. 2022;9:985849. Doi: 10.3389/fsur.2022.985849.
  25. Yıldırım M.B., Şahiner İ.T., Poyanlı A., et al. Malignant Tumors Misdiagnosed as Liver Hemangiomas. Front Surg. 2021;8:715429. Doi: 10.3389/fsur.2021.715429.
  26. Karashima R., Yamamura K., Oda E., et al. Hepatic Hemangioma in a Simple Liver Cyst Mimicking Biliary Cystic Neoplasm. Surg Case Rep. 2024;10;1:119. Doi: 10.1186/s40792-024-01908-8.
  27. Khalil A., Taha A. Hepatic Sarcoid-Like Reaction Mimicking Liver Metastases in a 36-Year-Old Female with Rheumatoid Arthritis. Cureus. 2023;15;8:e43974. Doi: 10.7759/cureus.43974.
  28. Nakamura N., Matsuno Y., Aoi K., et al. Hepatic Sarcoidosis Mimicking a Metastatic Tumor. Intern Med. 2025;64;16:2439-2445. Doi: 10.2169/internalmedicine.4528-24.
  29. Chouhan M.D., Wiley E., Chiodini P.L., Amin Z. Hepatic Alveolar Hydatid Disease (Echinococcus Multilocularis), a Mimic of Liver Malignancy: a Review for the Radiologist in Non-Endemic Areas. Clin Radiol. 2019;74;4:247-256. Doi: 10.1016/j.crad.2019.01.007.
  30. Pohnan R., Ryska M., Hytch V., et al. Echinococcosis Mimicking Liver Malignancy: a Case Report. Int J Surg Case Rep. 2017;36:55-58. Doi: 10.1016/j.ijscr.2017.04.032.
  31. You S.H., Park B.J., Kim Y.H. Hepatic Lesions that Mimic Metastasis on Radiological Imaging during Chemotherapy for Gastrointestinal Malignancy: Recent Updates. Korean J Radiol. 2017;18;3:413-426. Doi: 10.3348/kjr.2017.18.3.413.
  32. Шангареева Р.Х., Махонин В.Б. Множественные очаговые поражения печени и легких паразитарной этиологии, симулирующие опухолевые метастазы // Российский вестник детской хирургии, анестезиологии и реаниматологии. 2017. Т.7. №1. С. 51-54 [Shangareyeva R.Kh., Makhonin V.B. Multiple Focal Lesions of the Liver and Lungs of Parasitic Etiology Simulating Tumor Metastases. Rossiyskiy Vestnik Detskoy Khirurgii, Anesteziologii i Reanimatologii = Russian Journal of Pediatric Surgery, Anesthesia and Intensive Care. 2017;7;1:51-54 (In Russ.)].
  33. Costa A.F., Clarke S.E., Stueck A.E., et al. Benign Neoplasms, Mass-Like Infections, and Pseudotumors that Mimic Hepatic Malignancy at MRI. J Magn Reson Imaging. 2021;53;4:979-994. Doi: 10.1002/jmri.27251.
  34. Staniezky N., Salem A.E., Elsayes K.M., et al. Tumor-Like Conditions that Mimic Liver Tumors. Diagn Interv Radiol. 2025;31;4:285-294. Doi: 10.4274/dir.2024.242826.
  35. Kim T.K., Lee E., Jang H.J. Imaging Findings of Mimickers of Hepatocellular Carcinoma. Clin Mol Hepatol. 2015;21;4:326-343. Doi: 10.3350/cmh.2015.21.4.326.
  36. Calistri L., Maraghelli D., Nardi C., et al. Magnetic Resonance Imaging of Inflammatory Pseudotumor of the Liver: a 2021 Systematic Literature Update and Series Presentation. Abdom Radiol (NY). 2022;47;8:2795-2810. Doi: 10.1007/s00261-022-03555-9.
  37. Çakır M., Tüzün S., Savaş A., Tosyalı Y. Two Pseudotumor Cases Mimicking Liver Malignancy. Turk J Surg. 2015;33;3:212-216. Doi: 10.5152/UCD.2015.2912.
  38. Yoon K.H., Yun K.J., Lee J.M., Kim C.G. Solitary Necrotic Nodules of the Liver Mimicking Hepatic Metastasis: Report of Two Cases. Korean J Radiol. 2000;1;3:165-168. Doi: 10.3348/kjr.2000.1.3.165.
  39. Roux M., Pigneur F., Baranes L., et al. Differentiating Focal Nodular Hyperplasia from Hepatocellular Adenoma: Is Hepatobiliary Phase MRI (HBP-MRI) Using Linear Gadolinium Chelates Always Useful? Abdom Radiol (NY). 2018;43;7:1670-1681. Doi: 10.1007/s00261-017-1377-z.
  40. Matteini F., Cannella R., Garzelli L., et al. Benign and Malignant Focal Liver Lesions Displaying Rim Arterial Phase Hyperenhancement on CT and MRI. Insights Imaging. 2024;15;1:178. Doi: 10.1186/s13244-024-01756-y.
  41. Thampy R., Elsayes K.M., Menias C.O., et al. Imaging Features of Rare Mesenchymal Liver Tumours: Beyond Haemangiomas. Br J Radiol. 2017;90;1079:20170373. Doi: 10.1259/bjr.20170373.
  42. Shao Y.C., Li F.Z., Pei D.N., Dai W.D. Primary Hepatic Neuroendocrine Tumor with Multiple Intrahepatic Metastases and Concurrent Hepatic Angiomyolipoma: a Case Report and Review of the Literature. J Med Case Rep. 2025;19;1:361. Doi: 10.1186/s13256-025-05364-2.
  43. Lin Y.X., Jia Q.B., Fu Y.Y., Xiong X.Z. Hepatic Paragonimiasis Mimicking Hepatocellular Carcinoma. J Gastrointest Surg. 2018;22;3:550-552. Doi: 10.1007/s11605-018-5683-3.
  44. Karaosmanoglu A.D., Uysal A., Karcaaltincaba M., et al. Non-Neoplastic Hepatopancreatobiliary Lesions Simulating Malignancy: Can we Differentiate? Insights Imaging. 2020;11;1:21. Doi: 10.1186/s13244-019-0813-8.
  45. Mavilia M.G., Pakala T., Molina M., Wu G.Y. Differentiating Cystic Liver Lesions: a Review of Imaging Modalities, Diagnosis and Management. J Clin Transl Hepatol. 2018;6;2:208-216. Doi: 10.14218/JCTH.2017.00069.
  46. Taylor M.S., Deshpande V., Qadan M., et al. CT and MRI Features Differentiating Mucinous Cystic Neoplasms of the Liver from Pathologically Simple Cysts. Clin Imaging. 2021;76:46-52. Doi: 10.1016/j.clinimag.2021.01.036.
  47. Sheikh A.A.E., Nguyen A.P., Leyba K., et al. Biliary Duct Hamartomas: A Systematic Review. Cureus. 2022;14;5:e25361. Doi: 10.7759/cureus.25361.
  48. Kim J.H., Joo I., Lee J.M. Atypical Appearance of Hepatocellular Carcinoma and its Mimickers: How to Solve Challenging Cases Using Gadoxetic Acid-Enhanced Liver Magnetic Resonance Imaging. Korean J Radiol. 2019;20;7:1019-1041. Doi: 10.3348/kjr.2018.0636.
  49. Nadarevic T., Colli A., Giljaca V., et al. Magnetic Resonance Imaging for the Diagnosis of Hepatocellular Carcinoma in Adults with Chronic Liver Disease. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2022;5:110. Doi: 10.1002/14651858.CD014798.
  50. Zarghampour M., Fouladi D.F., Pandey A., et al. Utility of Volumetric Contrast-Enhanced and Diffusion-Weighted MRI in Differentiating between Common Primary Hypervascular Liver Tumors. J Magn Reson Imaging. 2018;48;4:1080-1090. Doi: 10.1002/jmri.26032.
  51. Zou X., Luo Y., Li Z., et al. Volumetric Apparent Diffusion Coefficient Histogram Analysis in Differentiating Intrahepatic Mass-Forming Cholangiocarcinoma from Hepatocellular Carcinoma. J Magn Reson Imaging. 2019;49;4:975-983. Doi: 10.1002/jmri.26253.
  52. Yel I., Koch V., Gruenewald L.D., et al. Advancing Differentiation of Hepatic Metastases in Malignant Melanoma through Dual-Energy Computed Tomography Rho/Z Maps. Diagnostics (Basel). 2024;14;7:742. Doi: 10.3390/diagnostics14070742.
  53. Nam D., Chapiro J., Paradis V., et al. Artificial Intelligence in Liver Diseases: Improving Diagnostics, Prognostics and Response Prediction. JHEP Rep. 2022;4;4:100443. Doi: 10.1016/j.jhepr.2022.100443.
  54. Xie X.Y., Chen R. Research Progress of MRI-Based Radiomics in Hepatocellular Carcinoma. Front Oncol. 2025;15:1420599. Doi: 10.3389/fonc.2025.1420599.
  55. Zwanenburg A., Vallieres M., Abdalah M.A., et al. The Image Biomarker Standardization Initiative: Standardized Quantitative Radiomics for High Throughput Image-Based Phenotyping. Radiology. 2020;295;2:328-338. Doi: 10.1148/radiol.2020191145.
  56. Chamberlain R.S., Oelhafen K. Benign Hepatic Neoplasms. Cohen LFR, ed. General Surgery. London, IntechOpen, 2013. P. 941-950.

 

 

 PDF (RUS) Full-text article (in Russian)

 

Conflict of interest. The author declare no conflict of interest.

Financing. The study had no sponsorship.

Contribution. The article was prepared by the author alone.

Article received: 20.01.2026. Accepted for publication: 25.02.2026.

 

Contact Information

 

46, Zhivopisnaya st., 123098, Moscow, Russia Phone: +7 (499) 190-95-51. E-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Journal location

Attendance

4006252
Today
Yesterday
This week
Last week
This month
Last month
For all time
844
6045
19885
30856
135958
124261
4006252

Your IP:216.73.217.31
Visitor Counter

© Журнал "Медицинская радиология и радиационная безопасность" 2020г.

Яндекс.Метрика

Наверх