Histopathogenesis of Calcified Hemangioma of the Liver

Abstract

Recently I described 13 rare calcified lesions of the liver that were roentgenographically related to visceral calcified hemangioma elsewhere in the body.2' The purpose of this paper is to record the histopathogenesis of and the morphologic features leading to calcification of cavernous hemangioma of the liver. MATERIAL AND METHODSThe basis of this report consists of 13 reports of autopsies from the New York Medical College, Metropolitan Medical Center, files of 18,915 consecutive autopsies. In all but one case, the diagnosis of calcified cavernous hemangioma of the liver was made post mortem. The group of 13 reports concern 12 women and 1 man, who ranged between 67 and 86 years of age. Detailed clinical records were available in 3 cases and adequate documentation in 10 cases. Ante-mortem roentgen film studies of the liver were available in 3 cases, and post-mortem film studies were carried out in 7 cases. Three of the patients were known to have calcification in the region of the liver for 8, 9, and 13 years, respectively. Four of the patients were known to have such calcification for periods of 1 to 7 years. In every instance, the roentgen report was coded as possible extrahepatic or intrahepatic involvement or as cholelithiasis, except in the case of the male patient, whose report was considered a possible calcified tuberculoma of the liver.In none of the 13 autopsied patients was the cause of death attributed to the liver. One patient had associated complications of polyserositis, generalized anasarca, clinical uremia and hypertension. The cause of death in 7 of the patients was congestive cardiac failure associated with clinical hypertension; in 3 patients, it was cerebral hemorrhage associated with clinical hypertension; in 1 patient, it was bilateral pneumonia, terminating in sepsis and associated with clinical hypertension; and in the last patient, it was rupture of abdominal aneurysm associated I with clinical hypertension.