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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 don't need treatment.
It may be unsettling to know you have a mass in your liver, even if it's a benign mass. There's no evidence that an untreated liver hemangioma can lead to liver cancer.
References
- 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 May 31, 2013.
- Curry MP, et al. Hepatic hemangioma. http://www.uptodate.com/home. Accessed May 31, 2013.
- Benign liver tumors. American Liver Foundation. http://www.liverfoundation.org/abouttheliver/info/benigntumors/. Accessed May 31, 2013.
- Assy N, et al. Characteristics of common solid liver lesions and recommendations for diagnostic workup. World Journal of Gastroenterology. 2009;15:3217.
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