A CASE OF HEPATIC ANGIOSARCOMA IN WHICH LAPAROSCOPY WAS USEFUL FOR THE DIAGNOSIS

Abstract

A 56-year-old man had been found to have liver dysfunction at a routine health check-up. He was referred to our hospital. Ultrasonography, CT and MRI images revealed multiple SOLs in both lobes of the liver, but the final diagnosis has not been made yet. Abdominal angiography showed neither a peripheral stain nor cotton wool appearance. On laparoscopic examination these tumors were dark purple and elastic soft. The histological findings taken from the tumor disclosed numerous vascular spaces lined by bizarre endothelial cells. The tumor cells were positive for factor VIII-related antigen. These findings suggest that laparoscopic examination is useful for the diagnosis of hepatic angiosarcoma.