A case of giant hemangioma of the liver associated with low serum IgA level

A 42-year-old woman was admitted to the hospital because of hepatomegaly of a few years'duration. About a month before admission, she came to our hospital because of retinal bleeding. Although hematological test and liver function were almost normal, “mTc liver scintigram revealed a massive defect in the right lobe. After the admission, a giant hemangioma of the right lobe was confirmed by selective celiac arteriography. It was also noted that serum IgA level markedly decreased, wherease secretory IgA level and IgA containing cells in the intestinal mucosa were within normal limit. After the tumor was successfully resected, serum IgA level rapidly increased to normal range, and remained normal for 11 months. From these result, it is speculated that the cause of selective hypo-IgA of this case is the comsumption of it by the hemangioma.