Liver hemangioma

[sarfraz]

Recently i had an ultrasound for my lever and in that they found a shadow of 1.7 cm x 1.2 cm . suggestions from my doctor is that its a hemangioma. Can anybody explain this term to me. I am suffering from weight loss for last two months and loss 5 kgs in two months. I feel tired and dizzy. Any urgent response will mke me feel better.

[morningsun]

I went to my doctor with a swelling under my sternum and after much worry and talk of metastatic cancer was diagnosed with a giant cavernous hepatic hemangioma measuring 11cm x 11 cm.  The diagnosis was unequivocal, during CT scan and MRI scan I had an intravenous injection of a substance which, during sequenced imaging fills the hemangioma in a typical way and is diagnostic of hepatic hemangioma and excludes cancer.

I have been told that due to the position of my hemangioma and its proximity / involvement of the inferior vena cava I cannot have surgery.  I avoid impact sports, but am very concerned at the presence of this growth which although originally asymptomatic has now become painful.  

Does anyone else have pain, I experience rib pain on both sides ranging from mild ache to severe incapacitating pain which luckily disappears relatively quickly.  I also experience chest pains sometimes and shoulder / back pain at very specific points in that area.  

This hemangioma seemed to appear / grow after a twin pregnancy, I have conflicting information about whether it is hormone dependent, any information?

[boomersmom2]

I had a CT scan of the abdomen (looking for something else) and they found 2 hemangiomas on the liver.  I had a CT scan 1 year prior to that and my liver was clear.  So, they decided to do an MRI 2 months later and I had 4 hemangiomas.  Since, I have a history of breast cancer, they could not guarantee me they were truly hemangiomas (although they were and still are "certain" that's what they are).  Two months after they found the 4 they repeated it again and they found 6.  I was put on Tamoxifen after my mastectomy and I believe that the hemangiomas (if that's what they are) were caused by the drug.  So, I decided to stop the drug.  The dr.'s of course said no, there was no correlation at all and after about 9 months they convinced me to restart the medication.  Approximately 6 months later I developed a blood clot in my leg and was hospitalized for 9 days.  They the doc's decided that maybe Tamoxifen wasn't good for me.  As far as my hemangioma's are concerned.  The last MRI I had still showed only 6 and at that time my Oncologist told me that we would watch them with a MRI every 6-12 months.  He was honest enough to tell me that he could not promise me that they were hemangiomas because he remembers telling a patient that once and later discovered that they weren't hemangiomas but metastasis of her cancer.  They can't biopsy hemangiomas because of the great risk of hemmorhage.  So, if you only have 1 or 2 and you don't have any other symptoms and your liver enzymes are normal I'd just do the waiting game.  I know that's the hardest part of anything.  I've been playing the game off and on since 1994 since my mammogram was found to be abnormal.  Now, as I sit here with my laptop searching the web I'm searching for sights that deal with bone metastasis from breast cancer.  All of a sudden they think that's my new diagnosis.  The part that really makes me angry is that I'm only 48.  Anyway, on a more positive note, those of you with only 1 or 2 hemangiomas, you should be okay. It's probably just a quirk that Mother Nature threw your way.  God Bless you and good health to you all.

[eveningstar]

Is it something one is born with or does it develop later?  What is the cause?

[Abbey]

I had the same thing. I had a cat scan of my stomach and they found the lesions on my life so they sent me for an MRI. I just had another ultrasound 3 months after the initial round of tests and my gastro guy said that nothing has changed and not to worry. It's very common especially in women.

[Julzbeach]

Hi,
I was diagnosed, by an abdominal cat scan, with a hemangioma(collection of blood vessels) about the same size as yours and have been told by my gastro dr. that it is a benign condition and nothing to worry about.  He said the only time you would need to be concerned would be if there was some type of trauma to the liver area, as it could cause internal bleeding.  Just wanted to make sure you are aware of that!

[sarfraz]

Thanks for the info , its a relief to know about it. Yes i had ultrasound two days before and they suggested to do a MRI for further investigation. Thanks again for sharing.

[eveningstar]

I had a ct scan last year and was diagnosed with a liver hemangioma also.  My doctor told me it fairly common and is a benign condition and nothing to worry about.  He said they leave them alone unless it becomes very large.  I don't really know a lot about this, I just trust what he told me.  You can do a google.com search on it.  I think it is like a cluster of blood vessels kinda like a "strawberry" birthmark would be on the skin, except this is on the liver.  I don't think it would cause any of your other symptoms, but I am certainly not a doctor.  Perhaps you need to discuss this further with your doctor to put your mind at ease.  Did you just have an ultrasound?  Do they recommend a ct scan also?  Good luck!