Liver hemangioma
DEFINITION
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.
CAUSES
It’s not clear what causes a liver hemangioma to form. Doctors believe liver hemangioma is congenital — meaning that you’re born with it.
Liver hemangioma usually occurs as a single abnormal collection of blood vessels that is less than about 1.5 inches (about 4 centimeters) wide. Occasionally liver hemangiomas can be larger or occur in multiples.
In most people, liver hemangioma will never grow and never cause any signs and symptoms. But in a small number of people, liver hemangioma will grow to cause complications and require treatment. It’s not clear why this happens.
SYMPTOMS
In most cases, liver hemangioma doesn’t cause any signs or symptoms.
When a liver hemangioma causes signs and symptoms, they may include:
- Pain in the upper right abdomen
- Feeling full after eating only a small amount of food
- Lack of appetite
- Nausea
- Vomiting
However, these symptoms are nonspecific and may be due to something else, even if you have a liver hemangioma.
When to see a doctor
Make an appointment with your doctor if you experience any persistent signs and symptoms that worry you.
