The Assessment of Methods Used to diagnose Hepatocellular Carcinoma to the 396 decompensated cirrhotic patients at the Bertoua Regional Hospital

Introduction: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is diagnosed primarily through non-invasive, contrast-enhanced imagingtechniques based on tumor vascularity. these methods include multiphasic contrast-enhanced MRI (preferred for high sensitivity) and CT scans, along with contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS). Diagnostic algorithms often incorporate blood biomarkers like Alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) and liver biopsy for atypical cases, often categorized using the LI-RADS system.

Methods: It is descriptive cross –sectional study done on 396 patients living with decompensated cirrhosis recorded at the Intensive Care Unit of Bertoua Regional Hospital from June to October 2025 to diagnose Hepatocellular Carcinoma, after receiving ethical clearance and Research Authorization from Est Public Health Delegation –Cameroon. Convenience sampling was done. The analysis included the methods such as GALAD Score, Fibrotest –Actitest Score, CT Scans, LFTs, APHE, LIRADS, Multiphase CT Scan and Dicckof –1.

Results: Out to 396 Cirrhosis patients, the prevalence rate of HCC obtained was 68,43%.

Conclusions:  At the end of our studies, 68.63% of the 396 patients with liver cirrhosis underwent the following examinations: multiphasic computed tomography (CT) scan, multiphasic magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), FibroScan, FibroTest, Actitest, and AFP testing to confirm the diagnosis of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). The absence of other examinations, such as AFP-L3, DCP, Dickkoff-1, and BCLC liver biopsy, does not always allow for the determination of the cancer stage (stage 0, stage A, stage B, stage C, and stage D) and raises concerns about the quality of treatment