Ultrasound in the screening and diagnosis of hepatocellular carcinoma in cirrhotic liver in Romania: does it work?

Background: The surveillance of cirrhotic patients for early detection of hepatocellular carcinoma is recommended but its efficacy is now discussed. Surveillance of cirrhotic patients for early diagnosis of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), based on ultrasonography and alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) measurement, is widely used. The aim of our study is to expose a practical screening and diagnosis strategy of HCC occuring in cirrhosis liver, which is nowadays a health public matter in Romania. Methods: HCC routine screening in cirrhosis liver has been conducted every 6 months using a combination of abdominal sonography (U…