1999 Volume 38 Issue 6 Pages 547-552
Background: Infantile hemangioendothelioma of the liver (IHE) is a relatively rare hepatic tumor which is diagnosed by imaging and clinical course, and is usually detected within 6 months of age. However, to our knowledge no cytological reports or observations of IHE have been published.
Case: A seven-week-old female infant who was admitted for heart failure was autopsied. At that time, imprint cytology was performed on multiple solid masses of the liver. Three associated subpleural nodules were detected by autopsy, and the same examination was also performed. The histological diagnosis was a hemangioendothelioma, type 2 and 1.
Conclusion: The tumor cells showed sheet-like arrangements and slight cluster formation with light and green short spindle shaped cytoplasm and centrally located nuclei, and a few cells showing compressed nuclei which were eccentrically located at one end of the cell, as well as a hyalin-like cytoplasm. The overall cytologic figures revealed scanty to mild atypicality and seemed to be different from hemangioma, epithelioid hemangioendothelioma and angiosarcoma.
