Precise Recognition of Liver Inflammatory Pseudotumor May Prevent an Unnecessary Surgery

Abstract

Liver inflammatory pseudotumor (IPT) is considered a benign inflammatory lesion mostly presented as a solitary solid mass in the right hepatic lobe. It may clinically and radiologically mimic a malignant liver tumor or an abscess. Accordingly, diagnoses of most of the reported cases have been established after surgical resection. In this report, we describe a 52-year-old woman with a 1-year history of fever of unknown origin. In the following investigation, abdominal computed tomography (CT) scan showed infiltrative lesion in the right hepatic lobe. The patient underwent a CT-guided needle biopsy of the hepatic lesion. Histopathologic study of biopsy specimen revealed the features of IPT. The patient was discharged and followedup for 6 months. After 6 months she had no complaint of fever and control liver ultrasonography disclosed no lesion. As liver IPT has favorable response to conservative therapy and may also resolve spontaneously, precise recognition of this condition with the help of fine-needle biopsy may help to avoid unnecessary surgery.

Key words: Fever of unknown origin, fine needle biopsy, inflammatory pseudotumor, radiology