Primary lever masses in infants.

Sixteen primary liver masses in infants less than 2 years of age collected from four centers over 12 years included six hepatoblastomas, five benign vascular tumors, three amebic abscesses, a simple hepatic cyst and a calcified cystic hematoma. The diagnostic features of the various lesions are reviewed and the efficient use of the different imaging modalities is discussed. Modern ultrasound techniques offer a diagnostic short-cut in the investigation of primary liver masses in infants and should be done early.