Nomenclature for neoplastic biliary cysts : review

Incidental liver cysts are commonly encountered in clinical practice and with the widespread use of liver ultrasound and cross sectional imaging are identified with increasing frequency. The differential diagnoses range from benign lesions with little clinical significance to malignant tumours. The more common diagnoses include simple liver cysts, abscesses, parasitic cysts, polycystic liver disease, Caroli's disease, haematomas and bilomas. Biliary cystadenomas account for less than 1% of liver cysts and as more incidental simple cysts are identified on imaging, this number is likely to decline. The first account of an intrahepatic biliary cystadenoma was published in 1887 with the first resection in 1892. This review traces the evolution of the histopathological features of this rare tumour, outlines the diagnostic features in the context of the differential diagnosis of the more common cystic lesions and details how these tumours should be managed.