Pulmonary Cavernous Hemangioma: A case report

Ha, Seung Yeon; Yoon, Sang Ae; Chae, Yang Seok

Abstract

The pulmonary cavernous hemangioma is usually from birth and there may be without symptoms until adulthood. Larger or multiple pulmonary angiomata with considerable pulmonary arteriovenous shunts may cause cyanosis, finger clubbing, dyspnea and frequently accompanyingbruit. Recently, we experienced a case of cavernous hemangioma of the lung. A 34-year-old woman was admitted to our hospital for surgical evaluation of a 4 cm solitary, round nodule in the right upper lobe on the chest X-ray and CT scan. She had no symptoms. Laboratory findings are within normal limits except for elevated glucose levels. At surgery, the mass was well encapsulated and easily excised from the peripheral portion of the posterior segment of the right upper lobe. Grossly, it consisted of a 4 cm in diameter, round, soft, sponge-like, hemorrhagic, slightly lobulated mass with a smooth external surface. Microscopically, the mass was composed of vessels, which were thin walled, dilated and filled with blood. The wall of the abnormal vessels was thin and composed of endothelium and fibrous connective tissue with only a little smooth muscle. Immunohistochemically, the wall of the dilated abnormal vessesls showed negative reaction for cytokeratin(low and high) and epithelial membrane antigen but weakly positive reaction for UEA-1 in focal areas.