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Hepatic Angiosarcoma Masquerading as Hemangioma: A Challenging Differential Diagnosis
Ana Rita Garcia1, João Ribeiro1, Helena Gervásio1
1Serviço de Oncologia Médica. Instituto Português de Oncologia de Coimbra. Coimbra. Portugal.
Acta Medica Portuguesa
|December 22, 2017
Summary
Diagnosing hepatic angiosarcoma can be challenging, even with imaging. This aggressive liver cancer often mimics benign hemangiomas, highlighting the need for vigilance in clinical assessment.
Area of Science:
- Hepatology
- Oncology
- Radiology
Background:
- Hemangiomas are typically diagnosed via ultrasound.
- Rapid growth or atypical imaging necessitates considering other diagnoses, including angiosarcomas.
Observation:
- A 46-year-old female presented with abdominal pain and elevated liver enzymes.
- Initial ultrasound and CT scans suggested a liver hemangioma, despite significant growth.
- Pathology post-hepatectomy confirmed hepatic angiosarcoma.
Findings:
- Hepatic angiosarcoma can present with imaging characteristics similar to hemangiomas.
- The tumor demonstrated rapid growth from 13.5 cm to 20 cm in one month.
- Metastasis to the liver and bone was detected post-surgery.
Implications:
- Accurate diagnosis of hepatic angiosarcoma is difficult based solely on imaging.
- Angiosarcoma is an aggressive malignancy with a poor prognosis.
- Surgical resection is the only curative option but is often not feasible due to advanced disease.
