[A case of hepatocellular carcinoma complicating cardiac cirrhosis caused by constrictive pericarditis]

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the most common malignancies. Many factors are considered to be etiology associated with HCC; the important factors are hepatitis B and C viruses and alcohol. Cirrhosis is present in the majority of patients with HCC. It is assumed that all diseases, which lead to liver cirrhosis, may be complicated by the development of HCC. We report a 36-year-old man with HCC which developed from cardiac cirrhosis caused by constrictive pericarditis in whom both hepatitis B virus and hepatitis C viral marker tests were all negative. CT scan of his heart showed pericardial calcification with diastolic dysfunction of right ventricle. Abdominal CT scan revealed mottled mosaic pattern of contrast enhancement of liver parenchyme and two hepatic lesions that were considered to be HCCs. Left lateral segmentectomy of liver was performed. There were two well-circumscribed masses which were confirmed to be HCC and the remaining hepatic parenchyma showed bridging fibrosis between central zonal regions. To our knowledge, this is the first case of HCC complicating cardiac cirrhosis in Korea.