Subscapular elastofibroma intermingled with adipose tissue: variant type of elastofibroma or lipoma?

Abstract

Elastofibroma is a rare entity most commonly seen in subscapular region. Elastofibrolipoma was first described by De Nictolis et al (Am J Surg Pathol. 1995;19:364-367) as a capsulated mass, composed of mature fat, abnormal elastic fibers, and connective tissue, at the anterior mediastinum. A 57-year-old woman with a periscapular pain and a mass at the left subscapular region was admitted at the department of thoracic surgery. Histologic sections of the well-circumscribed 6.5 x 5 x 3.5-cm rubbery mass revealed a collagenous stroma containing eosinophilic globules and fragmented fibers intermixed with mature adipose tissue surrounded by a thin fibrous capsule. The elastic nature of these eosinophilic fibers and globules was confirmed with Verhoeff's elastic stain. The lesion was diagnosed as elastofibrolipoma, a recently recognized lesion with an unclear origin. Here we discuss if it is a variant of elastofibroma or lipoma.