Micrometastases are defined by the UICC TNM Classification of Malignant Tumours as conglomerations of tumour cells measuring between 0.2 mm and 2 mm in size. Clusters of cells sized less than 0.2 mm in maximal dimension are termed isolated tumour cells (ITCs). Tumour clusters measuring larger than 2 mm are macrometastases, usually just called metastases 1. Although the official staging manuals tend to concentrate on micrometastases in lymphatic tissue, it can be applied to any tissue, e.g. liver 2.
These definitions are necessarily histopathological in scope, as in practical terms micrometastases refers to cancers that cannot be visualised on any diagnostic imaging study.
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