Clinical course of sub-centimeter-sized nodules detected during surveillance for hepatocellular carcinoma

Table 1 Baseline characteristics of high-risk patients who had sub-centimeter-sized nodules (n = 142)

Baseline characteristics	Number of patients
Age (yr)	50.2 ± 9.4
Male	84 (59.2)
Etiology of liver disease
Hepatitis B infection	126 (88.7)
Hepatitis C infection	9 (6.3)
Alcohol liver cirrhosis	7 (5.0)
Liver cirrhosis	111 (78.2)
Child-Pugh A	98 (88.3)
Child-Pugh B	10 (9.0)
Child-Pugh C	3 (2.7)
AST (UI/L)	47.9 ± 26.8
ALT (UI/L)	53.2 ± 42.5
PT (INR)	1.19 ± 0.17
Bilirubin (mg/dL)	1.24 ± 0.97
Platelets (109/L)	125.3 ± 60.3
Albumin (g/dL)	3.77 ± 0.56
Baseline AFP (ng/mL, range)	5.7 (1.0-211.6)
Number of nodules
One	26 (18.3)
Two	7 (5.0)
Three	3 (2.1)
Four	1 (0.7)
Over four	105 (73.9)
Nodule pattern
Hypoechoic/low-attenuation	77 (54.3)
Hyperechoic/high-attenuation	31 (21.8)
Mixed	34 (23.9)
Initial radiologic diagnosis
RN/DN	119 (83.8)
Hemangioma	17 (12.0)
Indeterminate nodule	5 (3.5)
Arterioportal shunt	1 (0.7)

AST: Aspartate aminotransferase; ALT: Alanine aminotransferase; PT: Prothrombin time; AFP: Alpha-fetoprotein; RN: Regenerative nodule; DN: Dysplastic nodule; INR: International normalized ratio. Data are shown as the mean ± SD, median (range) or n (%) of patients.