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Published in: Annals of Nuclear Medicine 4/2011

01-05-2011 | Case Report

A case of diffuse-type primary hepatic lymphoma mimicking diffuse hepatocellular carcinoma

Authors: Koichiro Kaneko, Akihiro Nishie, Fumitou Arima, Tsuyoshi Yoshida, Ken Ono, Junichi Omagari, Hiroshi Honda

Published in: Annals of Nuclear Medicine | Issue 4/2011

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Abstract

Primary hepatic lymphoma (PHL) is a very rare disease, especially in the diffuse type. We report a case of a middle-aged man with hepatitis C virus infection who developed diffuse-type PHL mimicking diffuse hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Contrast-enhanced computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging showed diffusely infiltrated hypovascular lesions throughout the liver, but no intrahepatic portal venous thrombus was observed. Diffusion-weighted imaging and 18F-FDG positron emission tomography/CT, respectively, showed a very low apparent diffusion coefficient value and high FDG uptake. These findings were more suggestive of diffuse-type PHL than diffuse HCC. Liver biopsy examination confirmed a diagnosis of diffuse large B-cell lymphoma. Systemic staging revealed no evidence of nodal or bone marrow involvement, so PHL was diagnosed. The patient was treated with chemotherapy and achieved complete remission. We suggest that a combination of image modalities may enable differentiation of diffuse-type PHL from diffuse HCC.
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Metadata
Title
A case of diffuse-type primary hepatic lymphoma mimicking diffuse hepatocellular carcinoma
Authors
Koichiro Kaneko
Akihiro Nishie
Fumitou Arima
Tsuyoshi Yoshida
Ken Ono
Junichi Omagari
Hiroshi Honda
Publication date
01-05-2011
Publisher
Springer Japan
Published in
Annals of Nuclear Medicine / Issue 4/2011
Print ISSN: 0914-7187
Electronic ISSN: 1864-6433
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1007/s12149-010-0460-0

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