Reactive lymphoid hyperplasia of liver coexisting with chronic thyroiditis: radiographical characteristics of the disorder

Abstract

Background: Reactive lymphoid hyperplasia of the liver is an extremely rare entity, with six cases reported so far.

Methods: We encountered a 47-year-old Japanese female with reactive lymphoid hyperplasia of the liver, which coexisted with chronic thyroiditis. The lesion was discovered incidentally as a hypo-echoic mass with a hyper-echoic rim at a routine ultrasonography examination. It increased from 12 to 17 mm diameter in 6 months. Radiological studies, such as contrast-enhanced computerized tomography (CT) and angiography demonstrated a hypervascular lesion.

Results: It was consequently diagnosed as a neoplasm with malignant potentiality and she underwent partial hepatectomy. The lesion was composed of small mature lymphocytes which formed prominent lymphoid follicles with germinal centres, scattered plasma cells and stromal fibrosis. Immunohistochemical study revealed polyclonal origins of the involved lymphocytes. DNA analysis for the immunoglobulin heavy gene and the T cell receptor beta gene using Southern blot hybridization showed no monoclonality. The following features have characterized the images in past cases, as well as ours: hypo-echoic mass, occasionally with a rim, in ultrasonography and hypervascularity, shown by angiography and enhanced CT.