Abstract
A 51-year-old female, visited to our clinic because of abnormal uGI series. Abdominal plain X-P, endoscopy and endoscopic ultrasonography revealed a "phlebolite" characteristic of the present disease, a dark purple rosary-shaped process in a comparatively localized protuberant lesion having bridging folds in the fundus of the stomach and linear echo and strong echo having an acoustic shadow in an abnormal low echo, respectively. These preoperative examinations and peroperative findings enabled us to make a diagnosis gastric hemangioma, on which a wedge resection was performed. Pathohistological examination of the resected specimen revealed a cavernous hemangioma mainly involving the muscularis propria and partly the submucous layer and subserous layer, which was found coupled with thick, hypertrophied drainage veins. The incidence of vascular lesion in the digestive tract is low, and especially, angioma originating in the stomach is so rare that only 90 cases have been reported in Japan until 1988. Although the diagnosis of the present disease by endoscopic biopsy is difficult because of hemorrhagic risk, inquiry of its history and laboratory findings make the diagnosis easier. Especially, endoscopic ultrasonography will become more and more useful in the diagnosis of gastric hemangioma.
