inflammatory pseudotumor of the liver
Hepatic inflammatory pseudotumors (IPT), also known as xanthogranulomas or plasma cell granulomas of the liver, are rare benign hepatic lesions.
Epidemiology
Most common in young adults with males affected more than females .
Pathology
Etiology is unknown .
Macroscopic appearance
Hepatic inflammatory pseudotumor is often seen as a well-circumscribed, encapsulated inflammatory mass.
Histology
Hepatic inflammatory pseudotumor is characterized by a large population of polyclonal plasma cells with a variable amount of fibrosis, foamy histiocytes, and other chronic inflammatory cells .
Associations
Subtypes
- hepatic parenchymal inflammatory pseudotumor (more common)
- biliary inflammatory pseudotumor
Radiographic features
Radiological findings of hepatic inflammatory pseudotumor are not characteristic and definitive diagnosis requires needle biopsy (sometimes insufficient ) or surgery .
CT
In most reported cases, they appear as hypoattenuating masses with a variable degree of hepatic enhancement .
MRI
Signal characteristics
- T1: hypointense
- T2: hyperintense
- T1C+: heterogeneous enhancement