False positive liver scan due to a thin left hepatic lobe

Area of Science:

• Hepatology
• Diagnostic Imaging
• Medical Diagnostics

Background:

• A young male patient presented with pectus excavatum and Gilbert's syndrome.
• Initial hepatic photoscans revealed a suspected mass lesion in the left liver lobe.
• Despite patient's habitus suggesting an anatomic variant, further investigation was pursued.

Observation:

• A young man presented with an abnormal hepatic photoscan suggesting a left lobe mass.
• Despite extensive diagnostic workup, including peritoneoscopy, the liver was confirmed as normal.

Findings:

• The abnormal scan was a false positive, likely due to an unusual anatomical presentation.
• Review of similar cases highlights causes of false positive hepatic scans.

Implications:

• This case underscores the importance of considering anatomical variants in interpreting liver scans.
• Understanding false positive patterns in hepatic imaging improves diagnostic accuracy and reduces unnecessary procedures.