Hemangioma in the liver is a small nodule formed by a tangle of blood vessels, which is usually benign, not progressing to cancer and causing no symptoms. The causes of hemangioma in the liver are not known, however, this problem is more common in women aged between 30 and 50 years who have been pregnant or who are undergoing hormone replacement.
Generally, hemangioma in the liver is not serious, being discovered during diagnostic tests for other problems, such as abdominal ultrasound or computed tomography.
In most cases, the hemangioma does not need treatment, disappearing on its own and without presenting threats to the patient's health. However, there are situations in which it can grow a lot or present a risk of bleeding, which can be dangerous, so the hepatologist may recommend surgery.
Possible symptoms
Symptoms of hemangioma can include:
- Pain in the right side of the abdomen; Nausea and vomiting; Feeling full after eating little food; Loss of appetite.
These symptoms are rare and usually appear only when the hemangioma is larger than 5 cm, it is recommended to consult a hepatologist to make an appropriate assessment.
The examinations and analysis of the hepatologist will observe the need to carry out the treatment or just observe, in addition to differentiating that the nodule is not a cancer of the liver. Check out what are the signs that indicate liver cancer.
How to confirm
Liver hemangioma is detected through imaging of the abdomen, such as ultrasound, computed tomography or magnetic resonance imaging.
These tests are also useful to differentiate hemangioma from other types of liver damage, such as malignant tumors or the liver cyst, which is an accumulation of fluid in this organ. To understand the differences, check out more details about what the cyst in the liver is.
How the treatment is done
The treatment for hemangioma in the liver should be guided by a hepatologist, but it is usually only done when the patient has symptoms such as abdominal pain or constant vomiting, when there is doubt that the hemangioma may be a malignant tumor or when there is a risk of rupture of the vessels with bleeding.
Usually, the most used treatment for hemangioma in the liver is surgery to remove the nodule or the affected part of the liver, however, in the most severe cases, radiotherapy or liver transplantation may also be necessary.
When the patient does not need treatment for hemangioma in the liver, it is recommended to monitor the problem at least once a year at the hepatologist.
