Solitary necrotic nodule of the liver

• Published in: Journal of Hepato‐Biliary‐Pancreatic Surgery Vol. 9; no. 1; pp. 120 - 124
• Main Authors: Iwase, Kazuhiro, Higaki, Jun, Yoon, Hyung‐Eun, Mikata, Shoki, Miyazaki, Minoru, Torikai, Kei, Shirai, Yasuhiro, Awai, Kazuo, Imakita, Masami, Kamiike, Wataru
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Japan 2002
• Subjects: Female; Hepatectomy; Humans; liver; Liver Diseases - diagnosis; Liver Diseases - pathology; Liver Diseases - surgery; Magnetic Resonance Imaging; Middle Aged; MRI; Necrosis; necrotic nodule; Tomography, X-Ray Computed; Ultrasonography
• ISSN: 0944-1166; 1868-6982; 1436-0691
• DOI: 10.1007/s005340200014

Solitary necrotic nodule of the liver is a rare benign lesion; only 22 cases have been reported to date. An unsolved problem in treating these lesions involves the difficulties in differential diagnosis; specific features of necrotic nodule of the liver in preoperative examinations have not been identified. Here, we report a patient with resected solitary necrotic nodule of the liver with preoperative features shown on ultrasound (US), computed tomography (CT), and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) examinations. A 48‐year‐old woman was referred to our hospital on December 13, 1999 because a hypoechoic lesion in Couinaud's segment VIII of the liver had been incidentally detected on US. A CT scan confirmed the presence of a round hypodense lesion, measuring 2 cm in diameter. No significant enhancement was recognized on dynamic MRI study. T1‐Weighted MRI examinations demonstrated a low intensity showing a triple‐layered pattern with low‐iso‐low intensity in the lesion, while T2‐weighted images demonstrated a slightly high intensity in the lesion. These features suggested fibrous tissue. Histological examinations following partial resection of the liver revealed a solitary necrotic nodule of the liver. Combination studies, including MRI examinations, would be useful for the preoperative diagnosis of a solitary necrotic nodule of the liver.