Radiologic Reporting of Simple Hepatic Cyst Versus Biliary Cystadenoma May Lead to Unnecessary Surgery

Background and Aims Simple liver cyst (SHC) is a benign condition with no malignant potential. They are typically discovered incidentally due to the increased use of abdominal imaging, but some patients may present with abdominal pain. A radiologist’s differential diagnosis in cases of SHC will often include “rule out biliary cystadenoma.” Under these circumstances, patients and surgeons are more likely to pursue surgical options even in asymptomatic cases. The aim of this study is to conduct a retrospective analysis of presentation, radiologic reporting, management plan, and histopathology of patients referred to a tertiary hospital in order to determine the correlation between radiology and histology. Methods We retrospectively analyzed the clinical, radiological, and histopathological data of 20 patients operated for a diagnosis of a cystic lesion in the liver. Result The CT/MRI of 6 (30%) patients was reported as a biliary cystadenoma, 13 (65%) were reported as a simple hepatic cyst and 1 patient (5%) had hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) with the additional diagnosis of multiple hepatic cysts. The lesion reported as HCC on the scan was separate from the cystic lesions. The modality of imaging for these cysts was evenly split, 50% of patients had a CT scan, and 50% had an MRI performed. All imaging studies were interpreted by an attending radiologist and most of them were discussed in multidisciplinary meetings. Nineteen patients (95%) had an intraoperative diagnosis of a simple liver cyst based on its visual appearance and clear fluid within the cyst. These patients underwent cyst wall fenestration and de-roofing with the cyst wall sent for histopathology. One patient (5%) with HCC underwent a non-anatomical liver resection. Histopathology was conclusive for a benign hepatic cystic lesion from the cyst wall biopsy. All 20 patients in this study underwent surgery, either due to symptoms or due to radiologic diagnosis of BCA. Four of the 20 cases (20%) were asymptomatic and out of these four cases, 3 (75%) were diagnosed as cystadenoma on the preoperative imaging studies. All 19 cases were diagnosed as a simple liver cyst on pathology. Conclusion In summary, there is a growing trend of “ruling-out the diagnosis of biliary cystadenoma” in patients who present with liver cysts. Patients are appropriately more anxious after this preoperative diagnosis and the treating surgeons have medico-legal concerns regarding conservative management in asymptomatic patients diagnosed as BCA. This single center experience draws attention to the radiology criteria utilized for diagnosing a biliary cystadenoma and suggests that it is time to revisit the imaging interpretation and differential diagnosis.

Liver metastasis mimicking a liver cyst of a thymoma in a 38-year-old immunocompromised patient

Cystic liver lesions (CLL) are common and, in the majority of cases, benign. However, the range of differential diagnoses of CLL is wide. A combination of medical history, blood test results, and imaging can help find the correct diagnosis. We report the case of a 38-year-old immunocompromised female patient with a history of thymectomy and postoperative radiation 3 years prior due to thymoma. Subsequently, the patient was referred to our department for clarification of a cystic liver lesion. During short-term follow-up, the lesion increased in size, and due to the contrast agent behavior in the ultrasound and MRI examination, the suspicion of a biliary cystadenocarcinoma was considered.Furthermore, imaging showed several subcentimetric liver lesions of unknown dignity. Finally, pericystectomy and atypical partial liver resection was performed. Histology revealed a cystic metastasis of the malignant B3 thymoma and a cavernous hemangioma. Liver metastases of a thymoma are rare, and this is the first case of a cystic liver metastasis of a thymoma. The presented case illustrates that in the management of CLLs beside imaging techniques, the medical history with previous conditions should be considered, especially in past malignancies.

Incoercible Vomiting in a Polycystic (ADPKD) Patient on Peritoneal Dialysis

Although gastrointestinal symptoms are not uncommon in PD patients due to several causes, such as infusion volume with early satiety, constipation, or peritonitis, sometimes the differential diagnosis is more challenging for nephrologists. We present the case of a woman with end-stage renal disease due to autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease on PD who presented with swollen legs and incoercible vomiting. After ruling out constipation and infection, an abdominal CT was done, revealing extrinsic compression of the intrahepatic inferior cava vein (ICV) and massive venous thrombosis from ICV to bilateral iliofemoral deep veins. In addition, CT also showed displacement and extrinsic compression of the stomach, pylorus, and duodenum due to an enlarged liver cyst. Percutaneous drainage and sclerosis of the cyst compressing the stomach was performed, anticoagulation was started, and the patient clinically improved with complete resolution of symptoms.

Treatment of multiple huge liver cysts in a hybrid operating room: a case report

Background Liver cysts are common, with most cases being asymptomatic. In symptomatic cases, the disease is amenable to treatment. However, huge or multiple liver cysts with vascular narrowing and associated systemic symptoms are extremely rare. Furthermore, the performance of a reliable and effective surgery in such cases remains a major problem. Here, we report a case of multiple giant liver cysts with impaired blood flow surgically treated in a hybrid operating room. Case presentation A 73-year-old male presented to a previous doctor with leg edema and dyspnea on exertion; computed tomography revealed that the cause complaint was right lung and heart compression and inferior vena cava (IVC) stenosis due to huge liver cysts in the caudal lobe. The patient was referred to our hospital because of disease recurrence despite percutaneous aspiration of the cyst. Multiple liver cysts were observed in addition to the drained cysts, two of which were located on both sides of the IVC and caused IVC stenosis. We performed open surgery for the liver cysts and used the hybrid operating room for intraoperative IVC angiography and measuring the hepatic vein and portal vein (PV) pressure. We performed unroofing of the hepatic cyst and cauterization of the cyst wall on the hepatic side. Angiography was performed before and after unroofing of the liver cysts, and IVC stenosis release was confirmed. IVC pressure measured at the peripheral side of the stenosis and PV pressures were continuously measured during surgery and were confirmed to have decreased during the opening of the liver cysts. The patient had a good postoperative course and was discharged on the 10th postoperative day. No recurrence was observed 6 months postoperatively. Conclusions Cyst unroofing surgery using angiography in a hybrid operating room is a useful treatment for deep hepatic lesions in that vascular stenosis improvement can be intraoperatively confirmed. Moreover, in cases wherein the cyst compresses the vasculature, intraoperative monitoring of IVC and PV pressures can be used to prove that the liver cyst is hemodynamically involved.

Hydatid cyst of the liver with portal thrombosis: A case report

The extensive involvement of the liver due to hydatid cyst and it’s invasion to the portal vein and resulted portal vein thrombosis are rare complications of hydatid cyst. The diagnosis and treatment of hydatid liver cyst and its rare complication such as thrombosis in infected patients should be critically considered.

Application of 3D Technologies in Surgery on the Example of Liver Echinococcosis

Preoperative assessment of an echinococcal liver cyst with surrounding tissue structures is extremely important for planning the course of surgical intervention. The paper presents the first experience of treating a patient with a parasitic cyst using three-dimensional reconstruction of the liver affected by echinococcus at the preoperative stage. The use of this approach made it possible to avoid the development of intraoperative complications and get a good treatment result.

Choledochal cyst type I-A: a case report

Choledocal cysts are cystic dilations that can occur in a single or multiple form in the biliary tree. Cysts can be congenital or acquired and are associated with numerous anatomical abnormalities. The presence of pain in the upper right quadrant of the abdomen, jaundice and palpable abdominal mass form the classic triad that is present in 15% to 45% of patients. We report the case of a 19-year-old woman patient, who she was admitted with abdominal pain in the right hypochondrium, nausea and vomiting, which evolved into jaundice. When seeking medical care, a large liver cyst and cholelithiasis. Imaging exams revealed liver cyst in segments IV-B,V and VI, lithiasis and biliary polyp.

Malignant Transformation of Liver Cysts Into Cholangiocarcinoma During Follow-up: Potential Dangers of Liver Cysts

Background: The liver cyst is a common disease in hepatobiliary surgery. Most patients have no apparent symptoms and are usually diagnosed accidentally during imaging examinations. The vast majority of patients with liver cysts follow a benign course, with very few serious complications and rare reports of malignant changes. Case Presentation: We present two cases of liver cysts that evolved into intrahepatic tumors during the follow-up process. The first patient had undergone a fenestration and drainage operation for the liver cyst, and the cancer was found at the cyst’s position in the third year after the procedure. Microscopically, bile duct cells formed the cyst wall. Tumor cells can be seen on the cyst wall and its surroundings to form adenoid structures of different sizes, shapes, and irregular arrangements, some of which are arranged in clusters. The second patient was regularly rechecked after discovering liver cysts, and a new mass appeared very close to the cyst. The clinical manifestations and laboratory examinations of the two patients lacked specificity, the preoperative diagnosis was unclear, and the postoperative pathology confirmed cholangiocarcinoma.Conclusions: Our cases indicate that liver cysts may lead to the occurrence of malignant intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma. Therefore, follow-up of particular liver cysts is necessary, and the differential diagnosis of the intrahepatic cystic tumors needs to include cholangiocarcinoma.

Biliary peritonitis due to liver cyst rupture in autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease

Background Autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD) is the most frequent genetic kidney disease and polycystic liver disease is its major extrarenal manifestation, however biliary peritonitis due to a liver cyst rupture is extremely rare. Case presentation The patient was a 71-year-old Japanese woman who was diagnosed with ADPKD 3 years previously and developed right abdominal pain suddenly 1 month previously. As abdominal computed tomography (CT) showed a ruptured liver cyst in the right lobe, she was admitted to our hospital. Her symptoms improved with conservative management and she was discharged from the hospital after 1 week. Although she was asymptomatic for a while, she noticed abdominal distension and general malaise at 1 month after hospital discharge. Since abdominal CT showed massive ascites, she was admitted to our hospital again. A physical examination revealed abdominal distention without tenderness. Her serum creatinine, alkaline phosphatase, γ-glutamyl transpeptidase, total bilirubin, and CA19-9 were elevated. Abdominal paracentesis revealed amber transparent ascites and the bilirubin and CA19-9 concentrations were high. She was diagnosed with biliary peritonitis due to a ruptured liver cyst. Hemodialysis treatment was initiated with drainage of the ascites. The outflow of the ascites was no tendency to decrease and drip infusion cholangiography (DIC)-CT revealed a communication between the ruptured cyst and an intrahepatic bile duct. On day 31, she was transferred to a university hospital and abdominal surgery was performed. After removing the necrotic roof of the ruptured cyst on the right liver lobe, the orifice of the bile leakage was sutured. Cholecystectomy was performed and cholangiography showed no stones in the common bile duct. Abdominal CT one month after the operation showed no recurrence of ascites and she was discharged on day 49. Hemodialysis treatment was discontinued immediately after discharge because urine volume increased and her creatinine level decreased. There has been no recurrence of ascites since then. Conclusions While rare, biliary peritonitis can occur in association with the rupture of a liver cyst in ADPKD patients due to communication between the cyst and the intrahepatic bile duct, and DIC-CT should be recommended when biliary cyst rupture is suspected.