Imaging of Von Meyenburg complexes.

Area of Science:

• Hepatology
• Radiology
• Developmental Biology

Background:

• Von Meyenburg complexes (VMCs), also known as biliary hamartomas, are common incidental findings in the liver.
• They represent developmental malformations of the ductal plate, a precursor to bile ducts.

Purpose of the Study:

• To provide an updated review on the etiopathogenesis of VMCs.
• To illustrate the imaging characteristics of VMCs across ultrasound, CT, and MRI.
• To discuss diagnostic pitfalls and the association of VMCs with other ductal plate malformations and cholangiocarcinoma.

Main Methods:

• Literature review focusing on etiopathogenesis, imaging features, and clinical associations of VMCs.
• Analysis of diagnostic challenges in differentiating VMCs from other liver lesions, particularly metastases.
• Synthesis of recent data on the relationship between VMCs and cholangiocarcinoma.

Main Results:

• VMCs are typically well-characterized by MRI, but can be confused with liver metastases.
• VMCs are associated with Caroli disease and Caroli syndrome.
• A link between VMCs and cholangiocarcinoma has been established in recent literature.

Conclusions:

• Understanding the imaging features and potential pitfalls is crucial for accurate VMC diagnosis.
• VMCs are part of a spectrum of ductal plate malformations.
• Further research into the VMC-cholangiocarcinoma relationship is warranted.