To present a case of rapidly progressive diffuse hepatic hemangiomatosis (DHH) in an adult and discuss its diagnostic challenges.
Approach:
Case Presentation: A 51-year-old female with primary biliary cholangitis presented with multiple hepatic lesions initially suspected to be hemangiomas, which progressed rapidly over six months.
Diagnostic Evaluation: A percutaneous liver biopsy suggested a benign vascular lesion, but rapid clinical deterioration raised concerns for hepatic angiosarcoma.
Treatment and Outcome: The patient received paclitaxel and durvalumab without therapeutic response and died due to tumor rupture.
Autopsy Findings: Autopsy revealed diffuse replacement of hepatic parenchyma with multiloculated cystic vascular spaces lined with pleomorphic endothelial cells, confirming DHH.
Key Findings:
DHH is a rare benign vascular tumor of the liver that can exhibit rapid progression.
Histopathological evaluation is critical for diagnosis, distinguishing DHH from hemangiomas and hepatic angiosarcomas.
Interpretation:
The case highlights the diagnostic challenges of DHH, particularly its differentiation from more aggressive vascular lesions.
Limitations:
The rarity of DHH limits the understanding of its clinical behavior and outcomes.
Histopathological features can overlap with other vascular lesions, complicating diagnosis.
Conclusion:
This case contributes to the understanding of DHH's clinical and pathological features, emphasizing the need for careful evaluation in rapidly progressive cases.
For hepatologists and other physicians who treat patients with advanced liver disease, the gap between the number of patients who need transplant and the number of available organs is a familiar challenge.