Epithelioid hemangioendothelioma of the liver. Diagnostic features and role of liver transplantation.

Five cases of epithelioid hemangioendothelioma of the liver are reported. This unusual type of vascular tumor is often difficult to diagnose; its angiogenic nature is not overt at the radiologic level and may be overlooked by conventional histologic examination. At imaging procedures, epithelioid hemangioendothelioma of the liver presents as multiple focal hypovascular areas, disseminated in both lobes. The combination of these imaging abnormalities with a peculiar set of demographic and clinical features, including young age, good general condition, and progressive course, is suggestive. However, the final diagnosis can be established only by histologic examination of appropriate material collected by guided liver biopsies and may be helped by immunohistochemistry and ultrastructural examination. The accurate diagnosis of epithelioid hemangioendothelioma of the liver is of clinical and therapeutic relevance. In view of its favorable clinical course, orthotopic liver transplantation may be considered for the treatment of this tumor when intrahepatic dissemination contraindicates partial hepatectomy and extrahepatic extension, excluded by exploratory laparotomy, is absent.