BACKGROUND: Since hepatectomy has been widely performed, different operative manner, operating areas, and material in the residual cavity may be found ultrasonographi-cally near the resected area after the operation. In this study, we investigated the changes of focal ultrasonography at the resected area post hepatectomy and recognized the characteristic ultrasonographic images.
METHODS: 176 patients whose ultrasonographic findings were studied in the residual area during the early and later periods after hepatectomy were retrospectively analyzed in terms of  operative manner, operative area, and material in the residual cavity.
RESULTS: There were absence of partial hepatic lobe or hepatic segment, focal anechoic area with thin wall or mixed mass at the resected area, and conformation of irregular high-echoic conglomeration at the resected area, cystic non-anechoic area, and mixed mass with irregularly thickened wall at the resected area, inconsistent internal echoes, and color Doppler twinking artifacts around the material and the residual cavity after curettage and aspiration.
CONCLUSIONS: Focal ultrasonographic findings at the resected area after hepatectomy vary with different operative procedures, operative area, resection size, absence or existence of material, and kinds of material in the residual cavity.