Angiographic and pathologic correlations of hepatic focal nodular hyperplasia.

Focal nodular hyperplasia of the liver has a distinctive gross appearance which includes a central fibrous zone containing vessels with a variety of abnormalities. When focal nodular hyperplasia is visualized arteriographically, an artery enters the lesion, branches, and supplies the mass centrifugally. It is likely that the central fibrous zone is the area from which the these branches originate. Nodular hyperplasia is not a life-threatening lesion, except in women taking oral contraceptives who may have massive hemorrhage. If an asymptomatic lesion of the liver has the distinctive arteriographic centrifugal filling pattern of nodular hyperplasia, resection is not recommended as long as oral contraceptives are not used.