Alternative Names
Liver hemangioma; Hemangioma of the liver; Cavernous hepatic hemangioma; Infantile hemangioendothelioma; Multinodular hepatic hemangiomatosis
Definition of Hepatic hemangioma
A hepatic hemangioma is a noncancerous liver made of widened (dilated) blood vessels.
Causes, incidence, and risk factors
A hepatic hemangioma is the most common noncancerous tumor of the liver. It is believed to be a birth defect.
Symptoms
Hemangiomas may cause bleeding or interfere with organ function, depending on their location. Most cavernous hemangiomas do not produce symptoms. In rare cases, a cavernous hemangioma may rupture.
Signs and tests
Hepatic hemangioma is usually not discovered until medical pictures are taken of the liver for some other reason. If a cavernous hemangioma ruptures, the only sign may be an enlarged liver.
Treatment
Most cavernous hepatic hemangiomas are treated only if the child is in persistent pain.
Review
David C. Dugdale, III, MD, Professor of Medicine, Division of General Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Washington School of Medicine; and George F. Longstreth, MD, Department of Gastroenterology, Kaiser Permanente Medical Care Program, San Diego, California. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc. – 4/23/2009
