Incidental finding of a supradiaphragmatic caudate lobe on cross-sectional imaging: An exceedingly rare entity

Intrathoracic accessory lobes of the liver are exceedingly rare and usually found incidentally in asymptomatic patients. Its diagnosis poses a real challenge for radiologists due to its rarity, location and rounded solid mass appearance. Herein, we describe the case of a supradiaphragmatic caudate lobe of the liver in a 43-year-old African American woman presenting to the hospital for evaluation of an inferior vena cava (IVC) thrombus with CT. Final diagnosis was achieved by MRI using intravenous contrast material, showing a 4.7 cm by 2.7 cm oval shaped mass, with similar signal intensity to the main liver on all sequences. Appropriate diagnosis of this intrathoracic mass is important to negate the need for unnecessary procedures and set a proper follow up after clinical diagnosis. •An unusual case of a supradiaphragmatic accessory caudate lobe of the liver in an adult patient with no surgical history.•Ability of MRI to non-invasively diagnose supradiaphragmatic accessory caudate lobe, avoiding unnecessary procedures.•Ectopic liver tissue should be followed up in time, as it can develop similar conditions as the orthotopic liver tissue.