With the widespread use of liver imaging (ultrasound, CT, etc.), many people find out they have liver cysts during medical examinations. Some patients are a little nervous when they see the diagnosis of liver cyst, so what kind of disease is liver cyst? Is it a tumor? Does it matter? How to deal with it? What other diseases are easily confused with liver cysts, here I will give you a brief explanation: First of all, liver cysts are not terrible, liver cysts are a relatively common benign liver disease, not all need surgery. If surgery is needed in the majority of cases, it can be done through minimally invasive laparoscopic surgery. Most liver cysts are very small, only 1-2 cm in diameter and resemble the size of a grape, but some can grow very large, up to 10-20 cm or more in diameter. In general, liver cysts do not rupture, bleed, get infected or become malignant. However, in a few patients, intracapsular hemorrhage can occur, resulting in a bloody cyst fluid or with blood clots. Sometimes infection can develop. Large liver cysts can also squeeze the surrounding organs, making the patient feel discomfort or fullness in the abdomen and even affecting digestion and breathing. Diagnosis of liver cysts is not difficult, and they are mainly diagnosed by imaging tests. Ultrasonography is the most important in diagnostic imaging. In the characterization of liver cysts, ultrasonography is generally considered more accurate than CT. However, CT examination is obviously better than ultrasound for the guidance of surgery when it comes to a comprehensive understanding of the size, number and location of cysts as well as the liver and related organs around the liver, especially for patients with huge liver cysts that require surgical treatment. About common tests: Ultrasound: Ultrasound is a routine screening tool for liver cysts. It can make a general judgment on the number and size of cysts. MRI: Once the examination suggests the possibility of liver cyst, further CT or MRI is needed, mainly to qualitatively understand the nature of the occupancy and to clarify whether it is a liver cyst, and the doctor can accurately determine the size, location and number of cysts based on CT or MRI images, so as to decide whether surgery is needed, which is a very important examination. About treatment: Generally speaking, treatment should be considered for the following kinds of liver cysts 1, giant liver cysts A few liver cysts grow faster and when they are more than 10 cm in diameter, they can be called giant liver cysts. Giant liver cysts tend to cause compression symptoms and affect life and work, so treatment may be considered. 2, cyst secondary infection Liver cysts usually rarely become secondary to infection, but a few liver cysts can become secondary to infection, and these patients can have inflammatory manifestations such as pain in liver area, fever, elevated blood leukocytes, etc. Ultrasound examination can show thickened cyst wall, liquid dark area and mixed enhanced light spots (suggesting pus). These patients should not continue to be observed, but should be treated promptly, because this situation is equivalent to liver cyst turning into liver abscess. 3. cyst secondary bleeding A few liver cysts may have spontaneous rupture of blood vessels in the cyst wall leading to intracapsular bleeding. Some patients do not have obvious symptoms, but some patients have severe pain in the liver area, which is cool like acute abdomen, and should be treated surgically. 4. Cyst torsion This refers to the overhanging type cyst, and cyst torsion can produce severe pain, and surgery may be the only treatment method. However, this type of overhanging liver cyst is very rare. Surgery for liver cysts Here is the first thing to be clear: liver cysts are not effective for medication. 1.Liver cyst puncture and aspiration. This method is performed under the guidance of ultrasound, and the fluid inside the cyst is sucked out with a fine needle and then the needle is removed, which is both simple and safe. Some people advocate aspirating the cyst fluid and then injecting anhydrous alcohol to destroy the cells that secrete cyst fluid. However, this treatment is highly prone to recurrence. It is only suitable for those who are old and weak or afraid of surgery. 2.Laparoscopic opening and drainage surgery for liver cysts. The vast majority of liver cysts can be performed under laparoscopy. In hospitals with better conditions, experienced specialists will give laparoscopic liver cyst opening and drainage according to the specific conditions of the patient’s liver cyst, which is less invasive and faster recovery! Laparoscopic liver cyst opening and drainage is the preferred treatment for liver cysts.