Clinical features of solitary necrotic nodule of the liver

• Published in: Hepatobiliary & pancreatic diseases international Vol. 7; no. 5; pp. 485 - 489
• Main Authors: Zhou, Yan-Ming, Li, Bin, Xu, Feng, Wang, Bin, Li, Dian-Qi, Liu, Peng, Yang, Jia-Mei
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Singapore 01.10.2008
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adult; Aged; Child; Child, Preschool; Diagnosis, Differential; Female; Hepatectomy; Humans; liver; Liver - diagnostic imaging; Liver - pathology; Liver - surgery; Liver Diseases - diagnostic imaging; Liver Diseases - pathology; Liver Diseases - surgery; Liver Neoplasms - pathology; Magnetic Resonance Imaging; Male; Middle Aged; Necrosis; necrotic; neoplasm; nodule; Retrospective Studies; solitary; Tomography, X-Ray Computed; Treatment Outcome; Ultrasonography; Young Adult
• ISSN: 1499-3872

BACKGROUND:Solitary necrotic nodule of the liver is a rare nonmalignant lesion.The present study aimed to clarify the clinical features of the disease. METHOD:The medical records of 51 patients with histologically confirmed solitary necrotic nodule of the liver who received surgical resection at our institution were retrospectively reviewed. RESULTS:Solitary necrotic nodule of the liver was found mainly in males(68.6%,35/51),and patients ranged in age from 5 to 69 years with a mean of 45.3.Most of the patients (72.5%)had no significant symptoms,with negative results for the serum tumor markers alpha-fetoprotein, carbohydrate antigen 19-9 and carcinoembryonic antigen. The mean diameter of the nodule was 23 mm(range 10-55 mm).Compared with ultrasonographic and computed tomography findings,the specific features of magnetic resonance imaging were more helpful for differential diagnosis of the disease. CONCLUSIONS:Solitary necrotic nodule of the liver is a rare nonmalignant lesion,showing no notable symptoms and potential complications.The pathological change of the disease is not significant over a lifetime.Conservative treatment and clinical follow-up are recommended.