| Etiology |
The exact etiology and pathogenesis is unknown and may be infectious, immunologic, allergic or neoplastic. Inflammatory pseudotumors are generally considered to be benign. |
| Incidence |
The exact incidence is unknown. A retrospective analysis of 403 patients undergoing surgery for focal liver lesions found an incidence of 0.7%. 289 cases have been reported in the literature to date. |
| Gender Ratio |
Predominately male, with a male to female ratio of 3:1 to 8:1 |
| Age Predilection |
Although inflammatory pseudotumors have been reported across a wide range of ages, they are more common in children and young adults, with a mean age of presentation of 37 years. |
| Risk Factors |
Unknown, predominately affects non-Europeans |
| Treatment |
Management remains controversial. Surgical resection is curative but conservative treatment, with antibiotics or nonsteroidal anti-inflammatories, has in some cases induced tumor regression. |
| Prognosis |
Excellent, with low incidence of local recurrence |
| Findings on Imaging |
Imaging findings are non-specific and are most commonly described as well-defined, solitary, intrahepatic masses within the right lobe. Inflammatory pseudotumors are typically hypoechoic on ultrasound, hypoattenuating on CT and T1 hyperintense and T2 iso- or hyperintense of MR imaging. In general, contrast enhancement is present on the delayed phase and confined to the tumor periphery. |
