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Definition
By Mayo Clinic staff
Liver hemangioma (he-man-jee-O-muh) is a noncancerous (benign) mass that occurs in the liver. A liver hemangioma is made up of a tangle of blood vessels. Liver hemangioma is sometimes called hepatic hemangioma or cavernous hemangioma.
Most cases of liver hemangioma are discovered during a test or procedure for some other condition. Most people who have a liver hemangioma never experience signs and symptoms and never need treatment.
It may be unsettling to know you have a mass in your liver, even if it's a benign mass. However, there's no evidence that an untreated liver hemangioma can lead to liver cancer.
References
- Di Bisceglie AM, et al. Tumor and cysts of the liver. In: Feldman M, et al. Sleisenger & Fordtran's Gastrointestinal and Liver Disease: Pathophysiology, Diagnosis, Management. 9th ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: Saunders Elsevier; 2010. http://www.mdconsult.com/books/about.do?eid=4-u1.0-B978-1-4160-6189-2..X0001-7--TOP&isbn=978-1-4160-6189-2&about=true&uniqId=229935664-2192. Accessed Nov. 15, 2010.
- Curry MP, et al. Hepatic hemangioma. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed Nov. 15, 2010.
- Your liver. Your life. American Liver Foundation. http://www.yourliver.org/Liver-Wellness-Presentation.pdf. Accessed Nov. 16, 2010.
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