Telescreening System for the Early Detection of Hepatocellular Carcinoma

Neoplasic diseases are widely recognized as extremely disabling, requiring in advanced stages a large amount of medical, technical, and financial support and, eventually, leading to death. This is why it is recommended to early diagnose them, gaining time for proper care and/or cure. Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of these neoplasic diseases, accomplishing the requirements to become the target of a close surveillance: it is a frequent condition; it has a high rate of mortality; it affects a very well defined at risk population (chronic liver diseases patients). This population can be closely followed-up using a sensitive and easily accepted method (ultrasonography - US) and efficient therapies are also available. Under these circumstances, the improvement of the screening and surveillance system for the patients at risk for HCC is needed, so the early diagnosis is increased, as well as the chance for an efficient and curative therapeutic intervention. For the early detection of HCC in general practitioner office exist terminals (where the medical images are acquired). The node is situated at the center medical expert level where the analysis and partially automated interpretation of echographic images take place. The automated analysis system of echographic images is similar to CAS - computer aided solution and it has communication and knowledge management purpose. The purpose of this project is to help the doctors to put the right diagnosis