Mediastinal mass - A rare presentation of hepatocellular carcinoma

Abstract

A 64 year old man, was admitted to the hospital with dysphonia anda chest mass of one month dura­tion.

The previous medical history of alcohol abuse reve­ aled a diagnosis of cirrhosis, confirmed, by liver bi­opsy, in 1992.

On admission, positive finding in the physical examination were a mass in the anterior chest wall conti­nous with the sternum, ascites and bilateral leg aedema. CAT scan of the neck and chest showed an infiltrated mass that eroded the sternum, the soft tissues of the anterior chest wall and the anterior mediasti­ num.

CAT scan of the liver revealed high density areos in the parenchyma, and multiple hipoecogenic nodules. Both the aspirative cytologic examination of the chest mass and hepatic biopsy, showed morphological and cellular aspects diagnostic of livercell carcinoma with a trabecular pattern.