Change in Size of Hepatic Hemangiomas During Observation of More than 20 Years

Abstract

Objective: Hepatic hemangiomas are often detected by abdominal ultrasonography. Many researchers have reported that most hepatic hemangiomas do not change in size over short-term observation but few have studied changes in size over long-term observation periods. We therefore examined changes in hepatic hemangioma size over a prolonged observation period of ≥20 years.
Methods: Out of examinees diagnosed with hepatic hemangioma by abdominal ultrasonography in our health management center, 16 who underwent prolonged observation of ≥20 years were enrolled in this retrospective cohort study. The rate of change in tumor size was evaluated from the difference between the initial size and the latest measured size.
Results: The rate of change in the size of tumors was -45.5 to +225.0% (mean: +47.4%, 95% confidence interval: -0.8 - +95.6%) for a prolonged observation period of 240 to 303 months (mean ± standard deviation : 263.4 ± 22.4 months). There was a decrease in size in 6 patients (37.5%) and an increase in size in 10 patients (62.5%). The size increased by 3-fold or more in 3 patients (18.8%).
Conclusion: Our results suggest that there is no change in hepatic hemangioma size over short-term observation, but sometimes the size increases over prolonged observation. Therefore, hepatic hemangiomas should be examined periodically.