What Is Liver Hemangioma?
A liver hemangioma (hepatic hemangioma) is a noncancerous tumor to your liver. It’s made of clumped, malformed blood vessels which can be fed by way of the hepatic artery. Hemangioma tumors can arise in various organs, such as the mind, wherein they can on occasion cause issues. In the liver, although, they hardly ever do. They don’t turn to most cancers and most effective purpose signs in the event that they grow mainly huge.
A liver hemangioma is a tangled network of blood vessels in or at the surface of the liver. This tumor is noncancerous and generally doesn’t cause symptoms.
Most people don’t even understand they've a liver hemangioma. It’s commonly only determined at some stage in a test or procedure for an unrelated condition. Even once they’re recognized, most liver hemangiomas don’t require treatment.
A liver hemangioma doesn’t increase your risk of developing most cancers. The tumor is typically small, measuring much less than 4 centimeters in diameter. In some cases, however, it could develop plenty large. A larger tumor is more likely to cause signs and symptoms, which include belly ache and nausea.
Pregnant humans and people using estrogen substitute therapy have a better hazard of developing a big hemangioma. This is because estrogen may contribute to the growth of liver hemangiomas.
Most human beings best have one liver hemangioma. However, it’s viable for several hemangiomas to shape at the liver immediately.
Although the tumor isn’t cancerous, it's been linked to better charges of coronary heart failure.
A liver hemangioma generally doesn’t cause headaches in adults, but it may be extra dangerous while it develops in infants. In toddlers, the growth is known as childish hepatic hemangioma. It’s normally identified earlier than the baby is 6 months old. This is an unprecedented circumstance in babies.
Explanation of medical terms and concept Liver hemangioma
A liver hemangioma is a noncancerous mass in the liver. It's made up of a tangle of blood vessels. These masses are common and are estimated to occur in up to 20% of the population.
Most liver hemangiomas are discovered during an imaging study of someone who has another condition. People with a liver hemangioma rarely experience any signs or symptoms and typically do not need treatment.
Even if you have a mass in your liver that is not cancerous, it may be unsettling to know about it. However, there is no evidence that an untreated liver hemangioma can lead to liver cancer.
Liver hemangioma is a blood-filled tumor that is formed in the liver due to the abnormal growth of blood vessels This tumor can be classified as either benign or malignant depending on how it affects the liver.
Types of liver hemangioma
In most people, these tumors are small, with a diameter of much less than 4 centimeters.
There are most important styles of hemangiomas:
Cavernous: A mass product of extensive or dilated blood vessels. Blood fills the areas among the vessels. This is the maximum common type of liver hemangioma.
Capillary: A mass made from many small blood vessels, held collectively with a layer of tissue.
Symptoms Liver hemangioma
Most liver hemangiomas are small and don’t cause symptoms. The average length is three centimeters (cm). Tumors that are 10 cm or more are considered “massive hemangiomas." These are the most likely to motivate signs, because of swelling or compression of your stomach.
Liver hemangiomas are usually not associated with any signs or symptoms.
If you are experiencing signs and symptoms from a liver hemangioma, they may include:
Pain in the upper right abdomen
After eating a small amount of food, you will feel full.
Nausea
Vomiting
In most cases, these symptoms are nonspecific and will be due to something else even if you have a liver hemangioma.
When to see a doctor
If you are experiencing any persistent signs or symptoms that concern you, make an appointment with your doctor.
Causes Liver hemangioma
Doctors don't know what causes liver hemangiomas to form. Some believe they are present at birth (congenital), while others believe they may develop over time.
Liver hemangiomas are usually single collections of blood vessels that are smaller than about 4 cm wide. Occasionally they can be larger or occur in multiple spots. Larger hemangiomas usually occur in children, but this is rare.
Most liver hemangiomas will not grow and will never cause any signs or symptoms. But in a small number of people, a liver hemangioma can grow to be symptomatic and require treatment. It's not clear why this happens.
Anyone can get a liver hemangioma, however it most usually occurs in your 30s, 40s, and 50s. Women are three instances more likely to get it than guys are. The reason is uncertain.
Doctors additionally don’t know precisely what triggers a hemangioma to shape your liver. But research advises that your genes can be concerned.
Researchers trust that other matters can also play a position in making the tumor or helping it get larger. They consist of:
Long-term steroid remedy for a disease or for muscle-building
Using birth control pills for a long time
Pregnancy
Risk factors Liver hemangioma
People are at elevated danger for a liver hemangioma in the event that they have family individuals with liver hemangiomas. Those between a long time of 30 and 50 are also at a higher danger for a liver hemangioma.
WomenTrusted Sources are much more likely than guys to expand a liver hemangioma. Because estrogen is thought to gas the growth of a hemangioma, the mass can be larger in women as well.
People who use hormone alternative remedy to increase their estrogen levels are also at an increased danger of developing a liver hemangioma.
There are some factors that increase the risk of being diagnosed with a liver hemangioma. These include:
Your age.A liver hemangioma can be diagnosed at any age, but it is most commonly diagnosed in people aged 30 to 50.
Your sex.Women are more likely to be diagnosed with a liver tumor than are men.
Pregnancy.Women who have been pregnant are more likely to be diagnosed with a liver tumor than women who have never been pregnant. It is believed that the hormone estrogen which rises during pregnancy may contribute to tumor growth.
Hormone replacement therapy.Women who use hormone replacement therapy to relieve menopausal symptoms may be more likely to be diagnosed with a liver hemangioma.
Complications
Women who have been diagnosed with liver hemangiomas risk complications if they become pregnant. The hormone estrogen, which increases during pregnancy, is believed to cause some liver hemangiomas to grow larger.
If you have a hemangioma, it is possible that you might experience symptoms such as pain in the upper right quadrant of your abdomen, bloating, or nausea. However, if you have a liver hemangioma, it does not mean that you cannot become pregnant.Discussing the possible complications with your doctor is always a good idea. Your doctor can help you choose the best treatment for you.
If you are taking medications that affect hormone levels in your body, such as birth control pills, there is a chance that these drugs could cause an increase in the size and severity of liver hemangiomas. But this is still a controversial topic. If you are considering taking these drugs, talk to your doctor about the benefits and risks first. Talk to your doctor about this.
Rare complications include:
Compression of your blood vessels or bile ducts, inflicting edema, thrombosis or jaundice.
Bleeding from the malformed blood vessels inside the tumor into your stomach cavity.
Degeneration inside the tumor, such as blood clotting, scarring or calcium deposits.
Direct trauma to the liver or severe strain can very hardly ever cause rupture of the tumor and internal bleeding (hemorrhage). This might be an emergency.
Prevention
Since we don’t realize what causes them, we don’t understand the way to prevent them. However, excessive estrogen can be a component. If you have got a liver hemangioma, you'll be able to gradual or save you its growth through stopping or averting hormone alternative remedy
Diagnosis Liver hemangioma
Most of the time, imaging assessments are sufficient to tell the 2 aside. But in case your hemangioma doesn’t have the standard functions, they'll need to research further to differentiate it from liver most cancers. For example, a cancerous tumor of the liver (hepatocellular carcinoma) might commonly trade its appearance over the years, while a hemangioma might continue to be solid. A metastatic cancer that spread to your liver from elsewhere could also be found someplace else on your frame.
Tests used to diagnose liver hemangiomas include: -A physical examination -Blood tests -Ultrasound
Ultrasound,An imaging method that uses high-frequency sound waves to create images of the liver.
Computerized tomography (CT) scanning is a way to create images of the inside of the body.A x-ray machine takes pictures of your body from different angles, and then a computer processes these images to create cross-sectional slices of the liver.
Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI),A technique that uses a magnetic field and radio waves is used to create detailed images of the liver.
Scintigraphy,A type of nuclear imaging that uses a radioactive material to produce images of the liver.
There are other tests that may be used depending on your situation.
Treatment Liver hemangioma
A liver hemangioma commonly can be left on my own. But your medical doctor can also need to screen it with imaging testing a few times a yr to see if it grows. That occurs in approximately one in 10 instances. Scientists don’t recognize why this takes place to some growths and now not others.
No tablets can treat liver hemangiomas. If the mass is too large, too speedy, or causes pain, you might need surgery to take it away.
Embolization is another option. Your general practitioner inserts a skinny tube referred to as a catheter via a reducer for your pores and skin to dam positive blood vessels that feed the hemangioma. This can gradual its growth or maybe reduce it.
If your liver hemangioma is small and does not cause any symptoms, you will not need treatment. In most cases, a liver hemangioma will never grow and will never cause problems. Your doctor may schedule follow-up exams to check your liver hemangioma periodically for growth if the tumor becomes larger.A hemangioma is a large, tumor-like growth.
A liver hemangioma treatment will depend on the location and size of the hemangioma. If you have more than one hemangioma, your overall health and preferences will also be factors.
Treatment options may include:
Surgery to remove the liver hemangioma.If the hemangioma can be easily removed from the liver, your doctor may recommend surgery to remove the mass.
A surgery to remove part of the liver will include the removal of the hemangioma.Sometimes surgeons may need to remove a part of your liver along with the hemangioma.
There are procedures that may be used to stop blood flow to the hemangioma.If the hemangioma does not have a regular blood supply, it may stop growing or shrink. Two ways to stop the flow of blood are to tie off the main artery (hepatic artery ligation) or inject medicine into the artery to block it (arterial embolization). Healthy liver tissue is unharmed since it can get blood from other sources.Place the vessels near each other.
Liver transplant surgery.If you have a large hemangioma or multiple hemangiomas that cannot be treated by other means your doctor may recommend surgery to remove your liver and replace it with a liver from a donor.
Radiation therapy.Radiation therapy is used to damage the cells of the hemangioma. This treatment is not typically used because more-effective treatments are available.
Preparing for your appointment
If it's thought you may have a liver mass, you may be referred to a doctor who specializes in the digestive system (gastroenterologist) or one who specializes in the liver (hepatologist). Most liver hemangiomas are discovered during a test or procedure unrelated to your health.
Here are some things you should know about your appointment and what to expect from your doctor.
What you can do
Please be aware of any restrictions that may apply before your appointment.When you make the appointment, be sure to ask if there are any dietary restrictions you should follow in advance.
Take down any symptoms you are experiencing.Most people with liver hemangiomas don't have any symptoms.
Make a list of all medications,What vitamins and supplements are you taking?
Take a family member or friend along.It is important to take notes during an appointment, because someone who is accompanying you may remember something you didn't mention.
Write down questions to ask your doctor.
When you have a liver hemangioma, some basic questions you may want to ask your doctor include:
What is the size of my liver hemangioma?
Can I have one liver tumor or multiple tumors?
Is my liver hemangioma growing?
What additional tests do I need?
What are the symptoms of my liver hemangioma?
Can I take printed material with me? What websites do you think I should visit?
Should I plan for a follow-up visit?
Will taking medications that are meant to treat my hemangioma make it worse?
Are my symptoms from the hemangioma?
If you have any other questions, don't hesitate to ask.
What to expect from your doctor
Your doctor is likely to ask you a number of questions, including:
Do you experience pain, nausea, loss of appetite, or feelings of fullness after eating small amounts?
Have you been pregnant?
Have you undergone hormonal therapy?
General summary
When should a liver hemangioma be removed?
A liver hemangioma is a benign growth of blood vessels It can be found in the liver spleen or adrenal glands and they are present at birth They can grow large and are most often removed because they cause symptoms such as bleeding or enlargement of the organ Other reasons for surgery include cancer risk and complications caused by large hemangiomas.
Do hemangiomas affect liver function?
Hemangiomas are common vascular tumors that occur in the liver They are present at birth and most of them grow larger during the first year of life However after the age of two hemangiomas begin to shrink and disappear Though they are benign neoplasms hemangiomas can sometimes cause discomfort in older children if they get large enough.
What size liver hemangioma should be removed?
Liver hemangiomas are the most common liver tumor in children representing approximately 20 percent of all childhood liver neoplasms The vast majority of these tumors (about 85 percent) are between 1 and 5 cm in diameter at diagnosis Less than 5 percent will be greater than 10 cm and about 30 percent will have a diameter of less than 1 cm.
What is the best treatment for hemangioma?
Typically hemangiomas resolve on their own without any intervention If you decide to treat it your doctor may inject a steroid medication into the lesion or burn off the bump with a laser The injections can be uncomfortable and often take several weeks to show improvement Lasers also take several weeks for results.
Can liver hemangioma disappear?
Liver hemangioma is a benign growth that develops in the liver It is caused by an abnormal growth of blood vessels which results in a mass that may range in size from a small pea to the entire organ The treatment for liver hemangioma depends on the size location and symptoms.
What kind of doctor removes hemangioma?
Hemangiomas are generally benign tumors that most commonly form in the first year of life usually on the head or neck Most hemangiomas disappear by age 2 or 3 and cause few problems but some may last into adulthood In rare cases they can be cancerous Recurring hemangiomas require removal because they can become large and interfere with vision breathing hearing eating and sleeping The kind of doctor who removes hemangiomas is a pediatric surgeon.