Sonographic diagnosis of subcapsular liver hematoma mimicking tumor in a neonate

Subcapsular hematomas of the liver in neonates uncommonly present as an abdominal mass without clinical signs of bleeding. We report a case in which sonography 10 days after birth demonstrated 2 large hepatic lesions that were initially considered to be tumors. The diagnosis of subcapsular liver hematoma was es tablished by serial ultrasound examinations, which demonstrated rapid diminution of the lesions. A history of difficult umbilical venous catheter insertion was then obtained retrospectively.