Liver Hemangioma - please help - Liver & Pancreas Disorders Message Board

saint90ms · 03-20-2008, 05:37 PM

I went for an ultrasound last week of my abdomen because I've been having discomfort under my rib for about 4 months. The first US showed a 14mm structure in my gallbladder, probably a polyp. The doctor sent me for second US today and instead of the 14mm polyp, it showed multiple areas of shadowing in the wall of gallbladder which is probably cholesterolosis. Todays ultrasound also showed a 1.8cm echogenic mass-like area compatible with a hemangioma of the liver. I'm very concerned about this... is this something to see a gastro doctor for. I can't understand why the first US (done at a different facility)said that my liver was normal.

What's going on. Does anyone have the same thing????

kt8889 · 03-20-2008, 06:31 PM

I think your best bet would be to see a liver specialist at the biggest teaching hospital in your area. They will most likely order a CT scan or an MRI to get a better picture of what they are looking at, but you are on the right track. You can read the threads about FNH/Adenomas, they are similar to what you have been told so far.
I hope you find your answers!

kt

feelbad · 03-21-2008, 09:24 AM

the hemangioma is basically just a little glob of venous fed blood vessels that in most cases and depending upon the location,really wont cause you any major problems. most are best just left alone. tho they can bleed in some cases,since they are only venous fed lesions,they tend to just ooze a bit and stop.

i unfortuently had one of these inside of my spinal cord,which did turn out to be a very bad bad spot for these. but the liver,being the type of organ it is,it really shouldn't pose you any major problems or harm. my mom has been living with one in her liver as well for her whole life and has had no bleeds or any symptoms/problems from it. location,like i said,is everything with these. i personally would be more concerned about the GB findings and finding out just what that is all about.

there are some threads in this liver board here on hemangiomas. you can look them up using the search area on the very top of this board.very helpful good info there for ya. don't use the web MD one but the actual healthboards search area if you want to find the henmangioma info from this particular board.i know there are a few good threads here. just put in 'hemangioma' it should bring them up for you.

depending upon the type of test and the tech who actually did it,they could have possibly missed it. most hemangiomas are actually there from birth. i would try and seek out a good GI doc to really determine whats up with your GB. honestly,in only very rare cases,is a hemangioma within the liver ever a major problem or complication,really. most never ever really show any actual symptoms. one good thing to try and remember when it comes to the actual liver is,the liver itself doesn't "feel' pain since there are no actual nerves running thru it. unless it became inflammed(or other medical problems caused it) which would cause other things to come into play,that hemangioma most likely would not be casueing you pain in the location it is in. like i said,the location really makes the difference.

hope things are okay with your GB. please keep us posted on what you find out.marcia

Kangani · 03-21-2008, 11:08 AM

I was recently diagnosed with hemangiomas. They are not typically dangerous. My doc compaired them to blood blisters, or strawberry birthmarks. They are not malignant, and my doc wants to monitor me just to make sure they are not growing too quickly-my largest is about 1". About 20% of the population has them, but do not know it because they rarely have symptoms--they are usually found when doing other tests, as mine were. Unless they are causing you pain (which it seems yours are) it is nothing to worry about. My doc did not even order a further MRI (because of my age and history), and did not want to do a biopsy because it would just cause them to bleed. He ordered a follow up CT in 6 months and if everything looks fine, will probably do an annual CT just to monitor.

Try not to worry (I was panicking when my GP told me there were "spots" on my liver and didn't know what they were). If they are indeed hemangiomas, they have to be quite large or bothersome before they will remove them, and are really nothing to be too concerned about.

Take care.

saint90ms · 03-21-2008, 12:51 PM

Thanks for putting my mind at ease. I'm wondering how can a doctor tell for sure that it is indeed a hamangioma and not something else. Do they have unique characteristics on ultrasound?