Liver Hemangioma

A liver hemangioma is a noncancerous (benign) mass in the liver. A liver hemangioma is made up of a tangle of blood vessels. Other terms for a liver hemangioma are hepatic hemangioma and cavernous hemangioma.

Most cases of liver hemangiomas are discovered during a test or procedure for some other condition. People who have a liver hemangioma rarely experience signs and symptoms and don't need treatment.

A liver hemangioma usually occurs as a single abnormal collection of blood vessels that is less than about 1.5 inches (about 4 centimeters) wide. Occasionally liver hemangiomas can be larger or occur in multiples. Large hemangiomas can occur in young children but this is very rare.

In most cases, a liver hemangioma doesn't cause any signs or symptoms. In some case it may cause, pain in the upper right abdomen, feeling full after eating only a small amount of food, nausea and vomiting. However, these symptoms are nonspecific and may be due to something else, even if you have a liver hemangioma. Factors that can increase the risk that a liver hemangioma will cause signs and symptoms include: female of age between 30-50 yr, pregnancy & use of hormone replacement therapy for menopause.

The following tests may be done: ultrasound, abdominal CT scan or MRI.

Most hemangioma are small (<5 cm) and remains asymptomatic. Large hemangioma can leads to alteration in internal architextuer (inflammation), alteration in coagulation (Kasabach Merritt Syndrome), bleeding or compression of adjacent structures.

A small & symptomatic hemangioma does not need any treatment. Periodic ultrasound may be advised to look for growth.

Indications for treatment are severe symptoms, complications & inability to exclude cancer. Surgical resection is the definite treatment. Less effective options are hepatic artery embolisation (a procedures to stop blood flow to the hemangioma) or radiotherapy.