TURKISH JOURNAL OF ONCOLOGY
2009 , Vol 24 , Num 4
Radiological findings of incidental hepatic lipoma
Department of Radiology, Kocaeli University Faculty of Medicine, Kocaeli, Turkey
A 58-year-old man was admitted with nonspecific abdominal
pain. Physical examination and laboratory findings were in
normal limits. Well-demarcated homogeneous hyperechoic lesion
of the liver was delineated on abdominal ultrasonography
(US) imaging. Fat content was clearly demonstrated on computerized
tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging
(MRI) that were performed to clarify the nature of the lesion,
and hepatic lipoma was diagnosed based on radiological findings.
Hepatic lipoma is an extremely rare benign tumor of the
liver. It is usually an asymptomatic lesion diagnosed incidentally.
On US, it is seen as a well-circumscribed, round- or ovalshaped,
homogeneously hyperechoic, peripherally located
lesion, which is not distinguishable from other hyperechoic
lesions like hemangioma or metastasis. Doppler US does not
provide additional information. Differential diagnosis is especially
important in oncology patients; thus, further imaging
techniques should be performed. CT and MRI are helpful to
identify its pure fat content, preventing biopsy requirement.
Radiological findings including US, CT and MRI in a 58-yearold
man admitted for abdominal sonography with incidental
hepatic lipoma are presented in this paper.
Keywords :
Computerized tomography; hepatic lipoma; magnetic resonance imaging; ultrasonography