Unexpected diagnosis in a patient with liver mass: A case report

Document Type : Case Reports

Author

Internal Medicine Department, Hepatogastroenterology Unit – Zagazig University

Abstract

Sarcoidosis is a rare inflammatory disease. It is characterized by granulomatous formation. The liver is the second most common site for involvement after the lung. Sarcoidosis of the liver is usually asymptomatic. Symptomatic cases can be presented with jaundice, itching, elevated liver enzymes, and the development of portal hypertension in rare situations. We, at the moment, submit a case of liver sarcoidosis in a patient with liver cirrhosis that is presented with upper gastrointestinal bleeding. Upper digestive endoscopy revealed gastric varices. Ultrasonography of the abdomen revealed a suspicious liver mass for hepatocellular carcinoma. There is no cause of gastric varix in this patient apart from hepatic sarcoidosis (portal hypertension). Treatment of patients with corticosteroids leads to the complete disappearance of the liver mass. Despite the high incidence of HCC in Egypt due to the high prevalence of HCV infection, it is crucial to search for the rare causes of hepatic masses.

Keywords

Main Subjects