A liver mass is a swelling inside the liver that is different from normal liver tissue found during ultrasound, CT, or MRI imaging of the liver. In short, it is a “thing” in the liver.
Occupations in the liver can be benign or malignant. The common benign liver abscesses are liver cysts, liver abscesses, and liver hemangiomas. A hepatic cyst is a cystic swelling with a well-defined cystic wall encapsulating a yellowish or brownish fluid inside that appears on the liver. A liver abscess is an infected encapsulated lesion that forms within the liver and is internally filled with infected necrotic tissue and pus. Hepatic hemangioma is a mass in the liver formed by an abnormal proliferation or malformation of blood vessels within the liver. Benign hepatic masses are usually well-defined, with regular margins and an internal manifestation of fluid or mixed tissue.
Common malignant hepatic occupancies are mainly primary hepatocellular carcinoma formed by malignant transformation of liver cells or intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma formed by malignant transformation of intrahepatic cholangiocytes, both of which can present as occupying lesions of the liver. The majority of malignant hepatic occupancies can rapidly increase in size within a short period of time, and examination can reveal irregularities in the shape of the occupancy, unclear margins, and abundant blood flow signals.