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Laparoscopic Anatomical Right Hemihepatectomy via the In Situ Anterior Approach
Published on: August 8, 2025
Hepatic angiomyolipoma: a retrospective study of 25 cases
1Department of General Surgery, Qilu Hospital, Shandong University, Jinan, P.R. China.
Purpose:
We report our experience of diagnosing and treating hepatic angiomyolipoma (HAML), a rare benign mesenchymal tumor.
Methods:
We analyzed retrospectively the clinicopathologic, radiological, and operative data of 25 patients who underwent surgery for HAML at our institute between November 2001 and May 2006.
Results:
Most patients (20/25) were asymptomatic and had normal liver function. Ultrasonography (US) showed a heterogeneous hyperechoic mass in 13 of 23 patients, precontrast computed tomography (CT) showed that all of 12 lesions scanned were hypodense, and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) showed hypointensity on T1-weighted images and hyperintensity on T2-weighted images in most (5/6) lesions. Marked enhancement in the arterial phase was seen in 10 of 12 lesions on CT scans and in 6 of 6 lesions on MRI scans. All tumors were composed of varying proportions of smooth muscle, adipose tissue, and blood vessels, and showed positive immunohistochemical staining for HMB-45. All patients underwent partial hepatectomy and there was no evidence of recurrence after a median follow-up of 43 months.
Conclusion:
The radiological features of HAML vary according to its histological components. The definitive diagnosis of HAML is challenging and depends on the presence of HMB-45-positive myoid cells. Hepatic angiomyolipoma is treated effectively with surgery and the prognosis is good.