US EPA

7438040 

Journal Article 

Precursor Lesions of Hepatocellular Carcinoma 

Zimmermann, A; , 

2017 

Springer International Publishing 

Cham 

Tumors and Tumor-Like Lesions of the Hepatobiliary Tract 

167-193 

10.1007/978-3-319-26956-6_7 

http://link.springer.com/10.1007/978-3-319-26956-6_7
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In cirrhotic livers, several types of precursor lesions of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) have been identified. These lesions include both hepatocellular changes characterized by distinct atypias (small cell change and large cell change, previously termed small liver cell dysplasia and large liver cell dysplasia) and circumscribed dysplastic lesions that are either invisible on gross examination (dysplastic focus) or visible with the naked eye (dysplastic nodules). A dysplastic focus consists of a group of hepatocytes having dysplastic features, incidentally detected in histologic specimens and usually showing a diameter of less than 1 mm. Dysplastic hepatocytes in a dysplastic focus mostly show small cell change. Dysplastic nodules are single or multiple nodules ranging in diameter from few mm to 15 mm or even more. They are divided into two variants, low-grade dysplastic nodule and high-grade dysplastic nodules, depending on the degree of atypia. Dysplastic nodules have to be distinguished from large regenerative nodules (macroregenerative nodules).