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Introduction
Hepatic angiomyolipoma (AML) is a rare benign tumor
first described by Ishak in 1976 (1). Hepatic AML has been
increasingly recognized of late as a result of wide-spread use
of high resolution imaging techniques and many cases have
been diagnosed by core needle biopsy of ambiguous liver
masses (2). Owing to their significantly varied histological
appearance, several histological variants of hepatic AML
have been described viz. classical/mixed, leiomyomatous,
lipomatous, myelolipomatous, angiomatous/angiomyomatous,
epithelioid, trabecular, oncocytic, pleomorphic and
inflammatory variants (2-5). Recognition of these entities
is necessary to avoid misinterpretation as variants of
hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), melanoma or other
primary or metastatic malignant neoplasms with prominent
inflammation, particularly on core needle biopsy (2,6).
The inflammatory variant is the least common variant
of hepatic AML and shows a dense lymphoplasmacytic
infiltrate which sometimes obscures the true nature of the
AML. Less than fifteen cases have been reported in the
literature so far (7-12). Most of these cases had displayed a
minor focal conventional tumor component. However, the
pathogenesis of the inflammatory reaction in hepatic AML
remains poorly understood.
Here we describe a new case of hepatic AML, inflammatory
variant.
Case report
A 54-year-old woman presented with fatigue, vague
abdominal pain and fullness, and anorexia. There was
no history of fever or jaundice. On clinical examination,
there was mild tenderness in the right hypochondrium
and hepatomegaly (2 cm below the costal margin). No
stigmata of tuberous sclerosis were seen. All the laboratory
parameters were within normal limits with the exception
of microcytic, hypochromic anemia (Hb: 9.8 g/dL),
Case Report
Hepatic angiomyolipoma, inflammatory variant: a case report and
review of literature
Smrita Singh, Chennagiri S. Premalata, Rekha V. Kumar, Swamivelu Krishnamurthy
Kidwai Memorial Institute of Oncology, Bangalore, India
Correspondence to: Chennagiri S. Premalata. Department of Pathology, Kidwai Memorial Institute of Oncology, Bangalore, India.
Email: prema_venka@hotmail.com.
Abstract: Hepatic angiomyolipoma (AML) is a rare neoplasm. Based on its wide histomorphological
range, several distinctive histological variants have been described. However, hepatic AML displaying
predominantly or exclusively inflammatory pattern closely mimicking inflammatory pseudotumor (IPT)
is exceptionally rare with less than fifteen cases reported so far. We describe another case of hepatic
inflammatory AML in a 54-year-old woman who presented with fatigue and vague abdominal pain. There
was no history of fever or jaundice. On examination, there was mild tenderness in the right hypochondrium
with mild hepatomegaly. Liver function tests were within normal limits. The patient was seronegative for
hepatitis B and hepatitis C. A liver mass was detected on radiological examination which was resected.
Histopathological examination revealed a neoplasm rich in lymphoplasmacytic cells with foci of spindle cells
which on immunohistochemistry (IHC) were positive for melanocytic markers like Melan A and HMB45
confirming the diagnosis of inflammatory hepatic AML.
Keywords: Angiomyolipoma (AML); hepatic; inflammatory; inflammatory pseudotumor (IPT)
Submitted May 21, 2015. Accepted for publication Jul 14, 2015.
doi: 10.3978/j.issn.2224-4778.2015.07.06
View this article at: http://dx.doi.org/10.3978/j.issn.2224-4778.2015.07.06