Benign liver angiomyolipoma: A case study

Abstract

Introduction: Hepatic angiomyolipoma is a rare mesenchymal tumor. It consists of vessels, fatty tissue and muscle tissue. These can appear in various ratios. While the kidney is the most common localization of angiomyolipoma, only about 300 cases have been described in the liver so far. It is a tumor of uncertain behavior. Most of the patients suffering from the lesion is asymptomatic. It is often preoperatively misdiagnosed using various imaging methods given its similarity to other hepatic tumors.
Case report: Our 64 years old female patient was being examined for dull abdominal pains with no other symptoms. Her close relatives suffered from no malignancies. Imaging exams showed a liver lesion highly suspicious for hepatocellular carcinoma. However, the patient showed no elevation of typical oncomarkers. We performed left lateral sectionectomy. A grey solid focal lesion was found in the resected tissue. Histological and immunohistochemical evaluation determined the diagnosis of angiomyolipoma. The postoperative period was uncomplicated. The patient has been followed at an office for hepato-pancreato-biliary diseases, with no signs of recurrence until the present.
Conclusion: Hepatic angiomyolipoma is a rare disease. The diagnostic process can be challenging as illustrated by the presented case. Even though the working diagnosis proved false, the chosen treatment was appropriate and delivered good results. Long-term postoperative follow-up is required.