Lymphangioleiomyoma presenting as an isolated hepatic mass: a case report and literature review.
- 1Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, No. 971 Hospital of the Chinese People's Liberation Army Navy, 22 Minjiang Road, Shinan District, Qingdao, Shandong, 266071, China.
- 2Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, No. 971 Hospital of the Chinese People's Liberation Army Navy, 22 Minjiang Road, Shinan District, Qingdao, Shandong, 266071, China. [email protected].
Abstract
Primary hepatic lymphangioleiomyoma is an exceptionally rare neoplasm that poses a considerable diagnostic challenge due to its non-specific radiological features, often mimicking common hepatic tumors such as hemangioma. We present the case of a 39-year-old asymptomatic woman with an incidentally detected and progressively enlarging liver mass. Preoperative magnetic resonance imaging demonstrated a well-defined, lobulated lesion with enhancement patterns suggestive of hemangioma. The patient underwent successful open partial hepatectomy. Histopathological analysis revealed characteristic spindle-shaped smooth muscle cells proliferating around lymphatic channels. The diagnosis was confirmed immunohistochemically by co-expression of smooth muscle actin (SMA), HMB45, and Melan-A. The patient recovered well with no evidence of recurrence at 6-month follow-up. This case highlights that primary hepatic lymphangioleiomyoma, although rare, should be considered in the differential diagnosis of vascular liver masses in young women. Accurate diagnosis hinges on histopathology and characteristic immunohistochemical staining, with complete surgical resection offering an excellent prognosis for localized disease.
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BibTeX
@article{liu2026lymphangioleiomyoma,
title = {{Lymphangioleiomyoma presenting as an isolated hepatic mass: a case report and literature review.}},
author = {Kun Liu and Jin-Kai Feng and Kun-Ye Luan and Meng Li and Da-Wei Guo and Lin Gong},
journal = {BMC gastroenterology},
year = {2026},
month = aug,
doi = {10.1186/s12876-026-05185-7},
url = {https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42968005},
note = {CC BY-NC-ND},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Lymphangioleiomyoma presenting as an isolated hepatic mass: a case report and literature review.
AU - Kun Liu
AU - Jin-Kai Feng
AU - Kun-Ye Luan
AU - Meng Li
AU - Da-Wei Guo
AU - Lin Gong
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/08/04
JO - BMC gastroenterology
DO - 10.1186/s12876-026-05185-7
UR - https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42968005
AB - Primary hepatic lymphangioleiomyoma is an exceptionally rare neoplasm that poses a considerable diagnostic challenge due to its non-specific radiological features, often mimicking common hepatic tumors such as hemangioma. We present the case of a 39-year-old asymptomatic woman with an incidentally detected and progressively enlarging liver mass. Preoperative magnetic resonance imaging demonstrated a well-defined, lobulated lesion with enhancement patterns suggestive of hemangioma. The patient underwent successful open partial hepatectomy. Histopathological analysis revealed characteristic spindle-shaped smooth muscle cells proliferating around lymphatic channels. The diagnosis was confirmed immunohistochemically by co-expression of smooth muscle actin (SMA), HMB45, and Melan-A. The patient recovered well with no evidence of recurrence at 6-month follow-up. This case highlights that primary hepatic lymphangioleiomyoma, although rare, should be considered in the differential diagnosis of vascular liver masses in young women. Accurate diagnosis hinges on histopathology and characteristic immunohistochemical staining, with complete surgical resection offering an excellent prognosis for localized disease.
SN - 1471-230X
ER -