Clinical thinking and decision-making in practice. a pregnant Turkish woman with a liver tumor
Jacobs, E.M.; Hart, W.; de Vries, R.A.
Nederlands Tijdschrift Voor Geneeskunde 144(42): 2001-2007
2000
ISSN/ISBN: 0028-2162 PMID: 11072518 Document Number: 517111
A 30-year-old Turkish woman suffered from pain in the right upper abdomen during the 32nd week of her third pregnancy. On ultrasound a liver tumour was diagnosed. The patient was followed without treatment during pregnancy. The outcome of the pregnancy was uncomplicated. The diagnosis of focal nodular hyperplasia was made post partum using MRI with contrast and a liver biopsy. The born son suffered the syndrome of Klippel-Trenaunay-Weber, also a vascular malformation. A liver tumour during pregnancy can influence the outcome of the pregnancy, but the pregnancy may also affect the progression of tumour growth. Considerations regarding the diagnostic evaluation and treatment should be made with caution. Ultrasound and MRI are well established methods to diagnose a liver tumour during pregnancy. The duration of the pregnancy is important in the diagnostic and therapeutic approach to the tumour.