Hepatic angiomyolipoma pre-operatively diagnosed by imaging

An asymptomatic patient with pre-operatively diagnosed solitary angiomyolipoma is reported. The tumour was a well defined, fat density mass on computerized tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and a hyperechoic nodule with a sharp margin on ultrasonography (US). The lesion was hypervascular on arteriography and CT during hepatic angiography. Chemical shift MRI confirmed the fat component within the lesion. Although a review of the literature shows this tumour to be rare and difficult to differentiate from a malignant lesion pre-operatively, the pre-operative diagnosis of angiomyolipoma is considered feasible when the characteristic findings as described here are present.