Ultrasonography in primary hepatic tumors in early childhood.

Ultrasonography was useful in preoperative investigation of primary hepatic tumors in nine children, aged 4 weeks to 4 years. In all patients, the hepatic origin and the solid or mixed echogenic nature of the tumor was determined. In two children (one with hemangioendothelioma, one with cystic mesenchymoma) the ultrasonographic findings were even more specific when correlated with angiography and/or histology. Ultrasonography in children with hepatomegaly should be performed as a screening procedure before angiography, to determine if enlargement of the liver is of tumorous origin. For follow-up, ultrasonography should be preferred over radionuclide imaging because it does not require the use of ionizing energy.