Objectives

To present all etiologies of cystic liver lesions from the common to the rare disease; and to categorize them

To describe the imaging appearances and typical features of cystic liver lesions

Background

Cystic liver lesion is characterised by a cystic component, mostly found incidentally by imaging. This imaging pattern may be observed in a wide spectrum of common and uncommon non-neoplastic or neoplastic diseases.

Some lesions have a typical imaging pattern, allowing a non-invasive diagnosis. Some other lesions are more uncommon and typical radiological features should be known and recognized to provide adapted cares to the patient.

Imaging findings OR Procedure findings

1) Ductal abnormalities

a) Bile duct cyst

b) Biliary hamartoma

c) Caroli disease

d) Caroli syndrome

e) Polycystic liver disease

f) Peribiliary cyst

2) Cystic tumors

a) Primary cystic lesion

i) Hepatic lymphangioma

ii) Cystic cavernous hemangioma

iii) Ciliated hepatic foregut duplication cyst

iv) Biliary cystadenoma

v) Biliary cystadenocarcinoma

vi) Intraductal papillary neoplasms

vii) Inflammatory pseudotumor as cystic appearance

viii) Mucinous cholangiocarcinoma

b) Secondary cystic lesion

i) Neuroendocrine tumor

ii) Melanoma

iii) Mucinous adenocarcinoma

3) Infectious cystic lesion

a) Pyogenic abscess

b) Hydatid cyst

c) Echinoccocal cyst

4) Other

a) Pseudocyst

b) Post-traumatic cyst

i) Biloma

ii) Seroma and hematoma

c) Endometrial cyst

d) Rarities

Conclusion

Cystic liver lesions have a wide semiologic range from benign lesions to rare malignant lesions. The knowledge of typical imaging features helps radiologists to guide physicians for therapeutic management.