A Rare Tumor of the Liver: Mucinous Cystic Neoplasm

Mucinous cystic neoplasms (MCNs) are rare hepatic lesions with malignant potential, most commonly occurring in middle-aged women. Due to the lack of specific diagnostic tests and pathognomonic radiologic findings, establishing a preoperative diagnosis is challenging. The recommended primary treatment is complete surgical resection, while definitive diagnosis is typically made through histopathological evaluation.
A 24-year-old female patient, initially operated on with a preoperative diagnosis of hydatid cyst, was found on imaging to have a 9 × 4.5 cm cystic mass predominantly located in segment 4B of the liver, with partial extension toward segment 5. The patient underwent a left hepatectomy. Her postoperative course was uneventful, and histopathological analysis revealed a low-grade MCN. There is limited information in the literature regarding MCNs of the liver. Accurate management of these patients is crucial due to their potential association with invasive carcinoma. Therefore, this entity should be considered in the differential diagnosis of hepatic cystic lesions, and curative surgical resection should be pursued whenever feasible.