Which one of the following is the most common benign liver lesion?
Hemangioma
The correct answer is haemangioma. Cavernous haemangioma is the commonest benign tumour of the liver, present in about 3-7 percent of the population (up to 20 percent in autopsy series), with a female to male ratio near 5 : 1. It is a congenital vascular malformation of endothelium-lined blood-filled spaces separated by fibrous septa and may enlarge with oestrogen exposure. Most are small, right-lobed and found incidentally. Diagnosis is radiological: peripheral nodular enhancement with progressive centripetal fill-in on CT/MRI, plus a bright T2 light-bulb sign. Biopsy is contraindicated because of bleeding risk; treatment is observation, with resection only for giant symptomatic lesions or Kasabach-Merritt syndrome.
Hepatic adenoma is far rarer, linked to oral contraceptive and anabolic steroid use, and matters because it can bleed and turn malignant, so lesions above 5 cm are resected. Focal nodular hyperplasia is the second commonest benign solid lesion, shows a pathognomonic central stellate scar and has no malignant potential. Simple liver cysts are common but are non-neoplastic developmental cysts, not tumours.
Key point: Central scar equals FNH, OCP use with bleeding risk equals adenoma, centripetal fill-in with no biopsy equals haemangioma, the commonest benign liver lesion.
Important Questions from Hepatobiliary & Pancreatic Surgery
Which among the following are complications of liver trauma?
1. Liver abscess
2. Biliary fistula
3. Portal thrombosis
4. Liver failure
Select the correct answer using the code given below.
Which of the following are local complications of acute pancreatitis?
1. Pseudocyst
2. Pleural effusion
3. Ileus
4. Acute fluid collection
Select the correct answer using the code given below.
Which of the following are risk factors for the development of pancreatic cancer?
1. Cigarette smoking
2. Diabetes mellitus
3. Caucasian ethnicity
4. Male gender
Select the correct answer using the code given below.
Which of the following are options for management of a pancreatic pseu- docyst?
1. Pancreaticoduodenectomy
2. Cystogastrostomy
3. Percutaneous drainage
4. Endoscopic drainage
Select the correct answer using the code given below :
- Which of the following statements regarding hepatic adenomas are correct? 1. They are almost exclusively seen in females aged 25-50 years 2. They are associated with use of oral contraceptive pills 3. They do not have any malignant potential 4. Majority are detected incidentally on imaging Select the correct answer using the code given below :
