Abstract
A 76-year-old woman who had been diagnosed as having a tumor (hemangioma), 12 mm in diameter of the liver (S4) during close follow-up period for other disease at the age of 64. Follow-up observations of the tumor conducted at irregular intervals revealed gradually increasing tendency in size. About 4 years after the last observation, she was referred to our hospital because a significant enlargement of the tumor was noted. Abdominal CT scan showed that the inside of the tumor was mostly solid with a low density area suggestive of necrosis or a cyst. MRI scan showed a low intensity area in T1-weighted images and coexistence of low to high intensity areas in T2-weighted images. In every study, the tumor was stained heterogeneously from early phase. There were no other lesions. Hepatocellular carcinoma and angiosarcoma were suspected, however, atypical. Central sectionectomy of the liver was performed for the purpose of treatment and diagnosis. The histopathological diagnosis was G2 neuroendocrine tumor of the liver. Primary hepatic neuroendocrine tumor is rare and we could observe the long course of the tumor which grew gradually for as long as 12 years in this case. We also present a literature review of G1 and G2 primary hepatic neuroendocrine tumors.
