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A small mucinous cystadenocarcinoma of the liver detected by a fluid-fluid level on ultrasonography

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Abstract

A case of small, borderline malignant biliary mucinous cystic tumor is presented. The patient initially presented to us 18 months earlier to undergo a sigmoid colon resection for sigmoid colon cancer. At that time, a liver cyst measuring 18×12mm was detected. On a follow-up abdominal ultrasonography study for colon cancer, the liver cyst had enlarged to 21mm in diameter and contained a fluid-fluid level 18 months after surgery. Histological examination of a needle biopsy specimen indicated possible adenocarcinoma. Lateral segmentectomy of the liver was performed. Histopathologically, the tumor was diagnosed as a mucinous cystic tumor, of border line malignancy, which had originated from a bile duct gland. It contained both mucinous and serous components, which were thought to have caused the formation of a fluid-fluid level within the cyst. In this case, the fluid-fluid level demonstrated by ultrasonography was beneficial in the early detection of a cystic tumor of the liver. This case may be the smallest reported cystadenocarcinoma of the liver yet published.

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Adachi, S., Doy, M., Tsunoda-Shimizu, H. et al. A small mucinous cystadenocarcinoma of the liver detected by a fluid-fluid level on ultrasonography. Surg Today 26, 439–441 (1996). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00311933

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00311933

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