title: Infantile hepatic haemangioma: investigation and treatment.
abstract: Infantile hepatic haemangiomas are benign tumours which tend to regress in late infancy. We describe five infants with hepatic haemangioma, three of whom developed congestive cardiac failure. Technetium-99m labelled red blood cell scan was useful in the diagnosis and follow-up of the lesion. The three symptomatic infants were treated with prednisone (2 mg/kg per day) for 2 months in addition to digoxin and diuretics. Significant clinical improvement occurred within 3 weeks in each case. We conclude that the red blood cells scan is a good non-invasive diagnostic test and recommend corticosteroids as initial management for symptomatic infantile hepatic haemangiomas.
authors.affiliation: Royal Alexandra Hospital for Children, Camperdown, New South Wales, Australia.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Kristidis
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: de Silva
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Howman-Giles
authors.forename: K J
authors.initials: KJ
authors.lastname: Gaskin
mesh_terms: D003952:Diagnostic Imaging; D004077:Digoxin / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004232:Diuretics / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005260:Female; D006333:Heart Failure / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000209:etiology; D006391:Hemangioma / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy; D008297:Male; D011241:Prednisone / Q000627:therapeutic use
chemical_list: D004232:Diuretics; D004077:Digoxin; D011241:Prednisone