12. Echinococcus cysts in the liver

Organ: Liver

Description:

In the liver parenchyme can we see two cysts. One of them is in cross section and the other isn’t.

Diagnosis: Echinococcus cysts

Causes:

Faecal-oral transmission of echinococcus parasite from dog

Theory:

Echinococcus is a parasite that usually lives in the GI tract of dogs. By faecal-oral transmission this parasite eggs get into the GI tract of humans, from which they will travel with portal circulation to the liver. The parasite then forms cysts in the liver.

The cysts look solid, which makes them easily confused for real tumors on imaging.