2016 Volume 3 Issue 1 Pages 23-27
A 76-year-old woman was hospitalized with an asymptomatic liver tumor detected by ultrasonography during a health check-up. A physical examination produced no pertinent findings. Blood test results were negative for hepatitis virus markers and tumor markers. Ultrasonography showed a hypoechoic tumor in segment 6 of the liver with a distinct margin and smooth contour, measuring 10×10 mm in diameter. Computed tomography demonstrated contrast enhancement in the periphery of the tumor. From pathologic examination of a needle biopsy specimen a necrotic hepatocellular carcinoma could not be ruled out, so resection was performed. The final diagnosis was solitary necrotic liver nodule, a rare mimic of hepatocellular carcinoma. Although this is a rare disease, it is necessary to consider it as one of the differential diagnoses if an atypical neoplastic lesion differing from typical hepatocellular carcinoma is detected intrahepatically on imaging.
