Biliary hamartomas were first described by von Meyenburg in 1918 and are referred to as Von Meyenburg complexes. Biliary hamartomas (BH ) are uncommon benign biliary malformations composed of groups of dilated intrahepatic bile ducts embedded within a dense collagenous stroma.

The pathogenesis of this malformation is unknown. Some authors believe it results from the altered evolution of the embryonic bile ducts, some malformation is involved in the genesis of biliari hamartomas : congenital hepatic fibrosis, and liver cysts in ADPKD, and Caroli disease.

The major clinical importance of BH is the propensity for misdiagnoses as multiple metastases, microabscesses, C. albicans, and extrapulmonary P. carinii infections.

On sonography, BH have been described as innumerable tiny hypoechoic or hyperechoic foci measuring less than 10 mm and distributed uniformly throughout the liver .

Differences in echogenicity may be due to the size of the dilated bile duct component, which, at a certain size, would behave like other microcystic structures and show echogenicity. Below this size, their complex internal structure might attenuate the echo signal.

On CT, BH are depicted as multiple round, small hypoattenuating and nonenhancing areas distributed throughout the liver without a distinctive distribution pattern.

As regards the prognosis is described in literature the possibility of a transformation into cholangiocarcinoma.