A case of spontaneous liver rupture and the role of imaging: from computed tomography to interventional treatment

Abstract

Hepatic parenchymal rupture is a rare but potentially fatal condition that can be caused by trauma, iatrogenic factors, spontaneous causes, etc. This case report describes the diagnostic and therapeutic steps employed in a patient with spontaneous hepatic parenchymal rupture. An older woman came to the emergency department with diffuse stomach pain. After clinical evaluation, she underwent computed tomography. The first computed tomography did not reveal a full-blown parenchymal rupture. Owing to data ambiguity, indicating that the abdominal discomfort could be caused by renal or biliary colic, obtaining an early diagnosis was very difficult. In truth, only few hypodense oval shapes with characteristic suprafluid densitometry were found in the liver parenchyma. However, after a few days, the discomfort persisted, and as the condition worsened, the patient underwent additional radiological examinations, which revealed the rupture of the liver parenchyma that required arteriography, and a long hospital stay until clinical resolution.

Keywords

liver / rupture parenchyma / computed tomography / arteriography / emergency

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