Hepatic hemangioma

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Digestive system organs

Hemangioma - angiogram

Hemangioma - CT scan

A hemangioma is a benign (non-cancerous) tumor consisting of dilated blood vessels. When a hemangioma occurs in the liver it is called a hepatic hemangioma.

Liver hemangioma; Hemangioma of the liver; Cavernous hepatic hemangioma; Infantile hemangioendothelioma; Multinodular hepatic hemangiomatosis

A cavernous hepatic hemangioma is the most common non-cancerous tumor of the liver. It is believed to be a congenital defect, and is usually not discovered until medical pictures are taken of the liver for some other reason.

Cavernous hemangiomas can occur at anytime, but are most common in the 30s to 50s. Women are affected more often than men, and usually have bigger tumors than men.

Babies may develop a type of hepatic hemangioma called benign infantile hemangioendothelioma (also called multinodular hepatic hemangiomatosis). This rare, non-cancerous tumor has been linked to high rates of heart failure and death in infants. Infants are usually diagnosed by the time they are 6 months old.

Review Date: 09/06/2005
Reviewed By: Joseph P. Hart, M.D., Department of Surgery, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.