Mesenchymal hamartoma of the liver: is biopsy always necessary?

摘要

Mesenchymal hamartoma of the liver (MHL) is a rare lesion, typically manifesting as a large, non-tender mass in the right lobe during early childhood. The histogen-esis of MHL is uncertain. Whether it results from a developmental anomaly of the ductal plates in the prenatal liver, or occurs secondary to biliary obstruction or regional ischaemia has long been debated [1-3]. Similarly, undifferentiated embryonal sarcoma (UES) is also rare, usually affecting the right lobe of the liver . It, too, typically presents as a large abdominal mass and is usually diagnosed between the ages of 6 and 10 years [5, 6]. It is generally accepted as a tumour of mesenchymal origin. UES acts as a highly aggressive malignant tumour, which may infiltrate locally or even metastasize to lungs and bone .