Primary and secondary hepatic lymphomas diagnosed by image-guided fine-needle aspiration: a retrospective study of clinical and cytomorphologic findings

CT and MR imaging characteristics of primary hepatic lymphoma

BACKGROUND

Primary hepatic lymphoma (PHL) is a rare primary liver tumor. The purpose of this study was to investigate the crucial imaging characteristics of PHL.

METHODS

CT/MR data and clinical features of 16 patients with pathologically proven PHL were retrospectively reviewed. The assessed imaging characteristics included lesion distribution, growth appearance, density or signal characteristics, and typical signs during the dynamic enhancement.

RESULTS

A total of sixteen patients were included in this study, ranging in age from 27 to 86 years (nine men and seven women; mean age, 62 years). Right upper abdominal pain, malaise, or first detection during physical examination were the chief complaint. Dynamic contrast-enhanced CT and MRI demonstrated focal masses in thirteen patients (13/16, 81%), and multiple nodules in three patients (3/16, 19%). The lesions showed vascular floating sign in 10 patients (10/16, 63%) and biliary pass-through sign in 6 patients (6/16, 37%). Necrosis in PHLs were observed in 10 patients (10/16, 63%) and presented target sign on T2WI in 5 out of 11 patients (5/11, 45%) undergoing MRI. After enhancement, PHLs had multinodular sign in the arterial phase in 10 patients (10/16, 63%), and presented washout of contrast medium in the portal-venous or delayed phase in 12 patients (12/16, 75%), pseudocapsule in the delayed phase in 15 patients (15/16, 94%), and double-ring sign in the delayed phase in 8 patients (8/16, 50%).

CONCLUSION

PHL is generally seen in elderly patients with elevated beta-2-microglobulin levels. Its distinctive imaging features including obviously low ADC value, biliary/vascular floating sign, multinodular sign and double-ring sign in the delayed phase, may help to diagnose and differentiate PHL.

Challenges in Diagnosis: Primary Hepatic Lymphoma Presenting as a Space-Occupying Liver Lesion

Non-Hodgkin lymphoma is a heterogeneous group of lymphoid neoplasms, the incidence of which has increased over the past 3 decades. Primary non-Hodgkin lymphoma of the liver is a very rare malignancy. We outline a case describing primary hepatic lymphoma in an 85-year-old woman with a history of breast cancer who presented with generalized weakness and nonspecific symptoms. The patient had normal liver function, serum alpha fetoprotein level, and hemoglobin. A computed tomography scan of the chest, abdomen, and pelvis showed numerous low-attenuation lesions scattered throughout the liver. This case underscores the importance of including primary hepatic lymphoma as a differential diagnosis for space-occupying liver lesions, especially in the setting of normal alpha fetoprotein level.

Hepatic involvement by T-cell neoplasms: a clinicopathologic study of 40 cases

Hepatic involvement by a T-cell neoplasm is rare and often challenging to diagnose in liver biopsies. We collected 40 cases of T-cell neoplasms diagnosed in the liver from five large academic institutions to assess the clinicopathologic features. The patients included 11 women and 29 men, with a median age of 54 (range: 2-75) years and a high mortality rate (31/37, 83.8%). Fourteen (35%) patients were diagnosed with hepatosplenic T-cell lymphoma (HSTCL), 13 (32.5%) peripheral T-cell lymphoma, not otherwise specified (PTCL-NOS), and 13 (32.5%) other types of T-cell neoplasms. Patients with HSTCL were much younger and had worse survival than PTCL-NOS and other T-cell neoplasms (P < 0.05). On imaging studies, 20 cases (50%) showed abnormalities, including 10 with mass lesions that correlated with normal or cholestatic pattern enzyme elevation. Histomorphological analysis revealed four main patterns; with the exception of mass forming lesions (pattern 4; n = 8), cases with sinusoidal predominant (pattern 1; n = 12), portal predominant with sinusoidal infiltrates (pattern 2; n = 13) or lobular aggregates (pattern 3; n = 5) demonstrated small to medium lymphocytes resembling a reactive/inflammatory process. In addition, we described two cases of T-cell large granular lymphocytic leukemia that mimicked HSTCL, and a case of aggressive post-transplant lymphoproliferative disorder that developed after chronic Epstein-barr virus (EBV) infection, suggesting the importance of EBV testing in some lymphoma cases. As the largest cohort of T-cell neoplasms in liver, our study provides critical data on disease frequency, distribution, and clinicopathologic features that are essential for accurate diagnosis.

Incidence, Prognostic Factors and Survival Outcome in Patients With Primary Hepatic Lymphoma

Aim: The objective of our study was to investigate the epidemiologic characteristics, prognostic factors and survival in patients with primary hepatic lymphoma (PHL). Methods: PHL patients diagnosed between 1983 and 2015 were identified from the SEER database. The temporal trend in PHL incidence was assessed using joinpoint regression software. Overall survival(OS) and disease-specific survival (DSS) was evaluated using the Kaplan-Meier method and log-rank test. Univariate and multivariate Cox regression analysis was performed to identify the independent prognostic factors for OS and DSS. Nomograms to predict survival possibilities were constructed based on the identified independent prognostic factors. Results: A total of 1,182 patients were identified with PHL. The mean age was 61.7 ± 17.1 years with a male to female of 1.6:1. Diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (59.8%) was the most common histological subtype. The incidence of PHL steadily increasing by an annual percentage change (APC) of 2.6% (95% CI 2.0-3.2, P < 0.05). The 1-, 5-, and 10-year OS rates were 50.85, 39.6, and 30.4%, respectively, and the corresponding DSS rates were 55.3, 47.9, and 43.3%, respectively. Multivariate Cox regression analysis revealed that age, sex, race, marital status, histological subtype, surgery, and chemotherapy were independent prognostic factors for survival. Nomograms specifically for DLBCL were constructed to predict 1-, 5-, and 10-year OS and DSS possibility, respectively. The concordance index (C-index) and calibration plots showed the established nomograms had robust and accurate performance. Conclusion: PHL were rare but the incidence has been steadily increasing over the past four decades. Survival has improved in recent years. Surgery or chemotherapy could provide better OS and DSS. The established nomograms specifically for DLBCL were robust and accurate in predicting 1-, 5-, and 10-year OS and DSS.

MRI features of primary hepatic lymphoma

PURPOSE

Our retrospective study sought to describe the spectrum of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) features of primary hepatic lymphoma (PHL) by analyzing its morphological aspects, signal intensity before and after contrast agent (CA) administration, and diffusion-weighted imaging (DwI) with the apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) values.

METHODS

A retrospective analysis was conducted on 25 patients with pathologically proven PHL who underwent MRI between January 2011 and December 2016. For the evaluation of the ADC, we used a control group of 87 patients (22 with hepatocellular carcinoma, 15 with cholangiocellular carcinoma, 23 with liver metastasis, 22 with focal nodular hyperplasia, and 5 with adenoma). Two radiologists evaluated the morphological features, the signal intensity before and after CA administration, and the DwI. The sensitivity and specificity of the ADC values in distinguishing the PHL lesions from other hepatic lesions were calculated by analyzing the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves.

RESULTS

Twenty-one patients had non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (18 had diffuse large B-cell lymphoma and three had mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue) and four had Hodgkin's lymphoma (nodular sclerosis). The PHL had a variable morphologic distribution (17 focal mass and eight multiple nodules) and mainly an insinuative growth (24/25). Usually, PHL was usually hypointense on the T1-weighted images (23/25) and hyperintense on the T2-weighted images (21/25); non-specific dynamic enhancement was found after CA administration, but in the hepatobiliary phase, PHL is mainly hypointense (92%). All PHLs showed a signal restriction in the DwI. The sensitivity and specificity in the differential diagnosis between PHL and the other malignant lesions were respectively 81.7% and 100%, with applying an ADC cut-off value of 0.918 × 10^-3 mm²/s.

CONCLUSION

Although PHL is a rare disease and biopsy is still required, an MRI could be indicative. In our series, PHL showed an insinuative growth, hypointense signal in the hepatobiliary phase, signal restriction in the DwI, and an ADC value lower than that of the other hepatic lesions analyzed.

Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma of the Liver: A US Population-based Analysis

Background and Aims: Non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) of the liver is a rare lymphoid malignancy, accounting for less than 1% of extranodal lymphomas. Methods: I conducted an analysis of the U.S Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database to evaluate the histological subtypes and the survival outcomes of 785 cases with hepatic NHL between 1973 and 2012. Results: There were 785 of 312 459 cases with NHL had a first primary hepatic NHL (0.25%). Of the total 785 cases, the median age at diagnosis was 61 years (range 3-95 years) and male-female ratio of 1.7:1. The most common subtype was diffuse large B cell lymphoma (63.2%). In all patients, the median overall survival (OS) was 33 months (95%CI, 22-48 months). The 5-year OS rate for indolent B-cell NHLs was 62%, compared with 44% for an aggressive B-cell NHLs and 42% for T-cell NHLs. The median OS improved from 19 months in patients diagnosed in a period 1996-2000 to 60 months when diagnosed between 2006 and 2012 (p < .001). In a multivariable Cox regression analysis, the age ≥80 years (adjusted hazard ratio [aHR] 3.21, p < .001), male gender (aHR 1.26, p = .02), Black race (aHR, 1.70, p < .001), and T-cell NHL variants (aHR 1.73, p = .03) were unfavourable prognostic factors. Conclusion: NHL of the liver comprises about 0.3% of all NHLs and survival was improved in the recent calendar period.

An unusual case of primary hepatic lymphoma with dramatic but unsustained response to bendamustine plus rituximab and literature review

OBJECTIVES

Primary hepatic lymphoma is an uncommon cause of hepatic space-occupying lesions.

METHODS

We describe the case of a 73-year-old man with primary hepatic lymphoma, who presented with a low-grade fever and lower limb weakness which had progressed in the past 2 months.

RESULTS

Abdominal ultrasound and computed tomography showed multiple small hepatic tumors. Echo-guided biopsy of the hepatic tumor demonstrated primary hepatic diffuse large B cell lymphoma. Moreover, bone marrow was uninvolved, but the bone marrow smear disclosed hemophagocytosis, which is uncommon in diffuse large B cell lymphoma. Chemotherapy with bendamustine and rituximab treatment was initiated with a dramatic response: hepatic tumors markedly shrank in size shown by follow-up computed tomography and the patient returned to his normal life. Nevertheless, the response was sustained for only 8 months. Finally, the disease resisted further chemotherapy and this patient died of a severe Klebsiella pneumoniae infection.

CONCLUSION

Chemotherapy with bendamustine and rituximab has shown a dramatic, but not durable, response in the present case with old age and multiple comorbidities.

Percutaneous liver biopsy: retrospective study of primary and secondary hepatic lymphoma in twenty-one patients

BACKGROUND

Hepatic lymphoma (HL) is categorized as primary and secondary hepatic lymphoma (PHL and SHL). This disorder can present as hepatic mass or mass-like lesion. Chemotherapy often is the first line treatment for patients with HL. Thus, an accurate pre-management histological diagnosis is essential to potentially improve clinical outcomes. The present study was to explore the prevalence of HL in ultrasound guided liver biopsies for hepatic mass or mass-like lesions, to investigate HL associated clinicopathological features, to raise the awareness of early recognition and proper diagnosis of this entity, and to assess specimen adequacy in needle core biopsy.

METHODS

Twenty-one cases of HL were enrolled. Clinical and pathological characteristics were evaluated, quality of biopsies was assessed and pertinent literature was reviewed.

RESULTS

HL was diagnosed in 0.94% of 2242 liver biopsy cases with ambiguous clinical presentation, laboratory tests and image studies. There were two cases of PHL (0.09%), and nineteen cases of SHL (0.85%). Histopathologically, diffuse large B-cell lymphoma was the most common type, followed by B-cell lymphoma not otherwise specified, T-cell lymphoma, Hodgkin's lymphoma, and B-cell chronic lymphocytic leukemia/small lymphocytic lymphoma. Additionally, three lymphocytic infiltration patterns were documented microscopically. The nodular infiltration was the most common type.

CONCLUSIONS

HL is a rare entity and histopathology along with ancillary tests remains the only way to make the diagnosis. Clinicians' awareness of this entity and early liver biopsy are essential in patient management.

Primary hepatic lymphoma in a patient with rheumatoid arthritis treated with methotrexate

Primary hepatic lymphoma (PHL) has rarely been reported in patients with immunosuppression. We herein describe a case of Epstein-Barr virus- (EBV-) positive PHL in a 67-year-old Japanese woman receiving methotrexate (MTX) treatment for rheumatoid arthritis (RA). The patient, who had been receiving MTX therapy for more than 6 years, presented with low-grade fever and abdominal pain. Initial laboratory tests showed mildly elevated liver enzymes with normal levels of alpha-fetoprotein and carcinoembryonic antigen, and computed tomography scans revealed multiple hepatic tumors with no lymph-node swelling. Examination of liver specimens obtained via ultrasonography-guided needle biopsy indicated EBV-positive diffuse large B cell lymphoma; therefore, she was diagnosed with PHL. MTX was discontinued, and she was carefully monitored thereafter owing to the prolonged history of MTX administration for RA. Rapid progression of PHL was observed; therefore 10 days after the PHL diagnosis, she received 6 cycles of R-THP-COP (rituximab, cyclophosphamide, pirarubicin, vincristine, and prednisolone) therapy and achieved complete remission for more than 1 year. Although MTX-associated lymphoproliferative disorders often show remission after withdrawal of MTX, early diagnosis and treatment are essential for PHL in patients with RA treated with MTX, because of the aggressive nature of the disease.