Case Report
Copyright ©2008 The WJG Press and Baishideng. All rights reserved.
World J Gastroenterol. Mar 28, 2008; 14(12): 1961-1963
Published online Mar 28, 2008. doi: 10.3748/wjg.14.1961
Peliosis and gummatous syphilis of the liver: A case report
Jun-Fa Chen, Wei-Xia Chen, Hong-Ying Zhang, Wen-Yan Zhang
Jun-Fa Chen, Wei-Xia Chen, Department of Radiology, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, Sichuan Province, China
Hong-Ying Zhang, Wen-Yan Zhang, Department of Pathology, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, Sichuan Province, China
Correspondence to: Wei-Xia Chen, MD, Department of Radiology, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, Sichuan Province, China. wxchen25@126.com
Telephone: +86-28-81812597
Received: October 15, 2007
Revised: January 10, 2008
Published online: March 28, 2008
Abstract

Peliosis hepatis is a rare benign vascular disorder of the liver that may be associated with malignancy, infection and drugs. The imaging manifestation of this disorder is often variable and nonspecific making its diagnosis difficult. We describe a rare case of peliosis hepatis and gummatous syphilis of the liver with emphasis on CT findings. Image characteristics of our patient included pseudotumoral appearance of peliosis hepatis, isodensity to the adjacent liver parenchyma on unenhanced and dual-phase scanning. To our knowledge, peliosis hepatis associated with syphilis and unique enhancement pattern has not been reported. Considering the imaging features of peliosis hepatis, it should be considered in the differential diagnosis of atypical focal hepatic lesion.

Keywords: Focal liver lesion; Peliosis hepatis; Syphilis; Computed tomography