Diagnostic and treatment challenges in focal liver disease

Finding a focal liver lesion during screening may not uncommonly lead to a misinterpretation of the results of radiological diagnostics. Based on the consolidation of our wide experience (more than 1000 cases) of surgical treatment of patients with various focal liver diseases, we analyzed the main causes of diagnostic pitfalls and, as a consequence, errors in the treatment of these patients. The most typical objective and subjective diagnostic pitfalls that may lead to a wrong treatment strategy are discussed with clinical cases taken as examples. The objective factors are related to the rarity of disease, absence of pathognomonic semiotics, as well as limitations in the resolution power of imaging methods. In addition, a misinterpretation of results of ultrasound examination, magnetic resonance imaging and multiaxial computed tomography may be explained by identical properties of images in different tumors related to similar physical and chemical properties of a  lesion. The subjective factors are related to a wrong interpretation of clinical and instrumental assessment data, or insufficient evaluation needed in an individual patient. The number of diagnostic and treatment errors could be decreased by a multidisciplinary approach taking into account the opinions of various profile experts.