Case Report: Hepatic inflammatory myofibroblastic tumor versus hepatic inflammatory pseudotumor in pediatric patients

Hepatic Inflammatory Pseudotumor (HIPT) and Hepatic Inflammatory Myofibroblastic Tumor (HIMT) are rare pediatric liver lesions with highly similar clinical and pathological features, easily causing misdiagnosis. Accurate differentiation is critical as they require distinct clinical management strategies.

Two pediatric hepatic mass cases were included. An 8-year-old girl presented with chronic abdominal pain and was diagnosed with HIMT, with no evidence of recurrence at 12-month follow-up after surgical resection. A 12-year-old girl presented with recurrent fever and abdominal pain. Initial antibiotic treatment failed, and she underwent partial resection for biopsy followed by definitive surgery, along with postoperative antibiotics and low-dose prednisone therapy, and remained free of recurrence at 12-month follow-up.

Based on the two cases in our center and narrative review, HIPT and HIMT differ in etiology, clinical manifestations, histopathology, immunohistochemistry and treatment regimens. Comprehensive analysis of all clinical information is required to improve diagnostic accuracy and reduce misdiagnosis and overtreatment of the two diseases.