Two patients with hepatic mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue lymphoma resembling hypervascular hepatocellular carcinoma

Abstract

We describe two patients with hepatic mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue (MALT) lymphoma suspected of actually being hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) who were treated by radiofrequency ablation (RFA). Pathological examination of biopsy samples revealed tumors composed of MALT lymphoma. Although the tumors were small, they exhibited extremely high intensities on magnetic resonance imaging with diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI). Considering that small HCCs rarely exhibit high intensity in DWI, this finding may assist in the differential diagnosis between HCC and lymphoma. Although Case 1 survived without recurrence for 5 years after RFA, Case 2 experienced MALT lymphoma recurrence after 3 years. Further analyses are required to determine the mechanism underlying hepatic MALT lymphoma development and to establish a standard therapy for this disease.