[Clinical features of surgically resected focal nodular hyperplasia of the liver].
OBJECTIVE
Focal nodular hyperplasia (FNH) is a benign hepatic tumor with few serious complications and no malignant transformation. However, differential diagnosis between FNH and other liver tumors, especially hepatocellular carcinoma, is often difficult.


METHODS
Clinical features of surgically resected FNH were reviewed. From January, 1995 to February, 2003, 10 patients with surgically resected FNH were enrolled. Their age, sex, results of laboratory examination, imaging studies and pathologic findings were evaluated.


RESULTS
Median age was 37.5 years and sex ratio (male:female) was 1.5:1. In 5 cases, resection to exclude hepatic adenoma or HCC was performed. Four cases were diagnosed incidentally after surgery. Four patients had risk factors for HCC, such as hepatitis B virus infection, liver cirrhosis or both. The size of FNH was 3.2 +/- 2.2 cm. The most common site of the tumor was segment 6 (30.0%). Differential diagnosis with HCC was difficult in 5 of six cases in whom CT was performed. Although needle biopsies were performed preoperatively in 4 cases, it was difficult to distinguish FNH from hepatic adenoma or HCC.


CONCLUSIONS
FNH was resected due to uncertainty of diagnosis, or incidentally during hepatectomy in patients with other liver disease. In the former, differential diagnosis with hepatic adenoma or HCC was a major problem despite extensive work-up including dynamic CT or biopsy.
Hwang
Nam Cheol
NC
Department of Medicine, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
Choi
Moon Seok
MS
Lee
Joon Hyoek
JH
Koh
Kwang Cheol
KC
Paik
Seung Woon
SW
Yoo
Byung Chul
BC
Rhee
Jong Chul
JC
Lee
Kwang-Woong
KW
Joh
Jae-Won
JW
Park
Cheol Keun
CK
D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D020518:Focal Nodular Hyperplasia / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008099:Liver / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged