OBJECTIVETo review and investigate the optimal preoperative diagnostic means and treatment principles of hepatic angiomyolipoma (HAML).

METHODSThe clinical features, treatment, prognostic and follow-up data of 169 HAML patients treated between January 1992 and May 2010 were retrospectively analyzed. The median age of the patients, including 46 male and 123 female (male/female, 1/2.7), was 45 years (range, 17 - 73 years). The mean case history was 0.54 year with a range of 2 d to 16 years.

RESULTSAmong the 169 patients, 149 patients (88.2%) had a solitary tumor and 96 patients (56.8%) were detected in the right lobe. The overall preoperative diagnostic rate was 13.6% and 119 patients (70.4%) were misdiagnosed as hepatocellular carcinoma or hepatic cavernous hemangioma. The diagnostic accuracy of MRI is higher than CT in distinguishing the nature of the tumor (χ² = 5.508, P = 0.019). One hundred and sixty-eight patients received surgical resection and one received percutaneous microwave coagulation therapy. One patient occurred postoperative hemorrhage and 3 patients developed hydrothorax. The postoperative mortality and recurrence for all the patients were 0. Postoperative pathology confirmed the diagnosis of hepatic angiomyolipoma. Follow-up study showed a benign course and no signs of recurrence.

CONCLUSIONSMRI is the main diagnostic means of HAML. Treatment strategies of HAML depends largely on tumor size, location and growth rate. Surgical management is suggested to patients with the following criteria: (1) tumor size greater than 5 cm; (2) with clinical symptoms; (3) faster tumor growth; (4) the tumor located at 1, 4, 5, 8 segments of liver.