Inflammatory pseudotumor of the liver mimicking a malignancy: case report

Chang Gung Med J. 2000 Jul;23(7):432-7.

Abstract

Inflammatory pseudotumor (IPT) is a rare lesion of the liver that can be clinically indistinguishable from a malignant tumor. A 51-year-old woman was hospitalized for upper abdominal pain and a weight loss of 5 Kg in 2 months. Radiological examination showed a large heterogenous hypervascular mass in the left lobe of her liver, strongly in favor of hepatocellular carcinoma. However, an ultrasound-guided liver biopsy revealed the typical characteristics of IPT, which consist of plump spindle cells with dense inflammatory cell infiltration. A left lobectomy was performed. No microorganisms were found on stained sections. The markedly elevated eosinophil count reverted to normal postoperatively and she remained well on follow-up examination 8 months after discharge. This case exemplifies the difficulty in radiological diagnosis of hepatic IPT and underscores the importance of its histological differentiation from malignancy before laparotomy.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Female
  • Granuloma, Plasma Cell / diagnosis*
  • Granuloma, Plasma Cell / diagnostic imaging
  • Granuloma, Plasma Cell / pathology
  • Humans
  • Liver Diseases / diagnosis*
  • Liver Diseases / diagnostic imaging
  • Liver Diseases / pathology
  • Liver Neoplasms / diagnosis*
  • Middle Aged
  • Radiography