Cutaneous and hepatic haemangiomata

A 3-month-old infant presented with multiple cutaneous haemangiomata, and was found to have a cardiac murmur and hepatomegaly. The latter increased strikingly over the next 3 months, and was accompanied by cardiomegaly. Other usual signs of congestive cardiac failure were not present, however, and an arteriogram showed the presence of a grossly abnormal vascular pattern in the liver, confirming the clinical suspecions of hepatic haemangiomatosis. Two short courses of steroid therapy resulted in a marked but temporary decrease in liver size. After the age of one year, however, there was gradual regression of all abnormal clinical signs without further therapy.