AbstractThis study deals with the ultrasonic analysis of tumors of the liver and involves 85 cases of anatomically confirmed neoplasms. We shall describe four specific patterns of cancer: the large, highly echogenic nodule, anechoic nodules surrounded by a band of echoes, which correspond to necrotic, metastatic nuclei; the indistinct, transonic region within in echogenic parenchyma, often found in cancers observed in the course of cirrhosis; the large, entirely homogeneous hepatomegaly, which is the normal pattern of primary cancers, but which can be mistaken for a fluid collection. We consider that accurate information about these patterns may lead to a more reliable and precise diagnosis.