Related Experiment Video
Updated: Nov 15, 2025
Zebrafish Model of Neuroblastoma Metastasis
Published on: March 14, 2021
Metastatic neuroblastoma masquerading as infantile hemangioma in a 4-month-old child
Kristine Karkoska1, Kiersten Ricci2,3, Katherine VandenHeuvel4
1Cancer and Blood Diseases Institute, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, Ohio.
Insights
Infantile hemangioma (IH) and neuroblastoma (NBL) can mimic each other in infants. Differentiating these conditions is crucial for accurate diagnosis and timely treatment of metastatic neuroblastoma.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Oncology
- Medical Imaging
- Differential Diagnosis
Background:
- Infantile hemangioma (IH) is a common vascular tumor in infants.
- Neuroblastoma (NBL) is a common pediatric malignancy often presenting in the first few years of life.
- Diffuse liver lesions in infants can be challenging to diagnose, with IH and NBL being key considerations.
Observation:
- A 4-month-old girl with known superficial/deep IH presented with new axillary nodules and hepatosplenomegaly.
- Initial suspicion favored progression of IH.
- Further evaluation revealed widely metastatic neuroblastoma.
Findings:
- Hepatic infantile hemangioma and metastatic neuroblastoma can exhibit similar imaging findings.
- Clinical presentation overlap necessitates careful diagnostic consideration.
- Metastatic NBL can present insidiously in infants with pre-existing IH.
Implications:
- Clinicians must maintain a high index of suspicion for NBL in infants with IH presenting with new or worsening symptoms.
- Broadening the differential diagnosis is essential when evaluating infants with known IH and new findings.
- Early and accurate diagnosis of metastatic NBL is critical for improving patient outcomes.
Introduction:
Diffuse liver lesions in an infant have a differential diagnosis including infantile hemangioma (IH), which is common in the first year of life, and neuroblastoma (NBL) which presents at a median age of 18 months.
Results:
We describe the case of a 4-month-old girl with a known superficial/deep IH who presented with new axillary nodules and hepatosplenomegaly, initially suspected to reflect IH but later determined to be widely metastatic NBL.
Conclusion:
Hepatic IH and metastatic NBL can present similarly. Clinicians must maintain a broad differential when evaluating new findings in a patient with previously diagnosed IH.
