Post-traumatic diaphragmatic herniation of the liver, examined by positron emission tomography: case report

We present a case of post-traumatic diaphragmatic herniation of the liver, which mimicked an intrathoracic tumor. After an automobile accident, the patient underwent thoracotomies for hemothorax and lung cancer in the right chest. Seven months later, computed tomography (CT) demonstrated a round tumor in the thorax adjacent to the right diaphragm with a higher density than the liver parenchyma. An intrathoracic tumor including a primary or metastatic lung cancer was suspected. However, positron emission tomography (PET) showed that the uptake of fluorine-18-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) was identical to that in the liver, and the tumor appeared to be contiguous with the liver. Thus, we suspected liver herniation. Core needle biopsy revealed liver cells without neoplastic tissue. Upon surgical exploration, herniation of the liver was found and repaired. PET was helpful in providing morphological and functional information leading to accurate diagnosis of liver herniation in this unusual case.