title: Diffuse expansive cavernous hemangioma of the gallbladder.
abstract: Although hemangiomas are common hepatic tumors, their occurrence in the gallbladder is extremely rare. In the present report, we describe a diffuse expansive cavernous hemangioma of the gallbladder. The patient was a 50-year-old woman presenting with a 24-hour history of persistent right upper abdominal quadrant pain. The lesion caused a voluminous enlargement of the gallbladder creating a clinical impression of a cystic mesenteric tumor. The vascular origin of the tumor was confirmed by immunohistochemistry. Only 4 cases, including the present one of cavernous hemangioma involving the gallbladder have been reported in the English literature. The average age of presentation is 52.5 years (range 43-60 years), and the female to male ratio is 3:1. The lesions can be symptomatic and may have confusing radiographic appearances. Lithiasis has not been associated with the cavernous hemangioma of the gallbladder.
authors.affiliation: Anatomical Pathology Department, Medical Faculty, University of Cantabria, Santander, Spain.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mayorga
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hernando
authors.forename: J F
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Val-Bernal
mesh_terms: D005260:Female; D005706:Gallbladder Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology*; D006392:Hemangioma, Cavernous / Q000473:pathology*; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged