Hepatic angiomyolipoma with special attention to radiologic imaging

BACKGROUND: Angiomyolipoma is a unique mesenchymal neoplasm composed of blood vessels as well as smooth muscle and adipose cells. The liver is a less common site of origin, and hepatic angiomyolipoma is often an incidental finding on diagnostic imaging or is identified on evaluation of nonspecific symptoms. CASE PRESENTATION: We experienced four patients who were diagnosed histologically with hepatic angiomyolipoma. The preoperative diagnoses were angiomyolipoma in two patients, hepatocellular carcinoma in one, and cavernous hemangioma in one. Three patients were treated with hepatectomy (one laparoscopic and two open approaches), and the diagnosis was completed by histological investigation of the resected specimen. The remaining one was diagnosed from tumor needle biopsy. Diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) with respiratory triggering using b values of 0 and 800 s/mm(2) was employed. An apparent diffusion coefficient map was generated from b values of 0 and 800 s/mm(2) for calculation of the apparent diffusion coefficient. The apparent diffusion coefficient values were calculated as 3.66, 1.21, 1.80, and 0.91 in patients 1 to 4, respectively. In MRI imaging, fat component was clearly demonstrated with chemical shift imaging in three patients. Early venous return was detected in three patients with computed tomography angiography. CONCLUSION: Fat component and early venous return are important for a correct diagnosis of hepatic angiomyolipoma. Unfortunately, apparent diffusion coefficient values in hepatic angiomyolipoma were overlapping with those in other benign and malignant tumors.