A Resected Case of Biliary Cystadenocarcinoma

Eiji Ako, Mami Yoshii, Yuhiko Fuyuhiro, Akiko Tachimori, Isao Kanehara, Atsushi Yamamoto, Shigehiko Nishimura, Naoyuki Taenaka and Shinichi Nakatsuka*

Department of Surgery and Department of Pathology*, Sumitomo Hospital

A-72-year-old man admitted for examination of a liver cyst seen in a physical health screening was found in abdominal computed tomography (CT) to have a cystic tumor 5 cm in diameter having a contrast-enhanced papillary projection 2 cm in diameter arising from the cystic wall in the S4 segment of the liver. Abdominal T1-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) showed a low-intensity lesion and T2-weighted MRI a high-intensity lesion. Drip infusion cholangiography (DIC)-CT suggested that the tumor might not be connected to the intrahepatic bile duct. Abdominal angiography showed tumor staining in the S4 segment of the liver, indicative of the solid portion in the cystic tumor. Based on a diagnosis of biliary cystadenocarcinoma, we conducted left hepatectomy and cholecystectomy. The resected specimen showed a unilocular cystic tumor with a papillary projection inside. The cystic tumor was diagnosed as biliary cystadenocarcinoma on histological examination, and the entire cystic wall showed the presence of cancer cells. Segmental hepatectomy including the cystic tumor provides the most favorable prognosis for biliary cystadenocarcinoma.

Key words
biliary cystadenocarcinoma, liver cyst, hepatectomy

Reprint requests
Eiji Ako Department of Surgery, Sumitomo Hospital
5-3-20 Nakanoshima, Kita-ku, Osaka, 530-0005 JAPAN

Accepted
November 28, 2007

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