Cavernous hemangioma with extensive sclerosis masquerading as intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma — A pathologist's perspective

Abstract

A patient presented with an acute episode of bright red blood in her stool. The incidental liver mass seen in segment 4 was suspected to represent a cholangiocarcinoma due to associated mild intrahepatic biliary ductal dilatation and suspicion for capsular retraction. Pathology confirmed that this lesion represented a sclerosing hemangioma. This case report corroborates prior observations that degenerative changes in hemangiomas—sclerosis, narrowing of vascular channels, thrombosis, infarct, hemorrhage—may produce atypical radiographic findings. Since these atypical radiographic features may suggest a primary or metastatic malignancy, the protean appearance of hemangiomas remains an important consideration in the evaluation of hepatic masses.