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Case Reports
. 2009 Nov 28;15(44):5620-3.
doi: 10.3748/wjg.15.5620.

Asymptomatic lymphangioma involving the spleen and retroperitoneum in adults

Sook Hee Chung  1 , Young Sook Park, Yun Ju Jo, Seong Hwan Kim, Dae Won Jun, Byoung Kwan Son, Jun Young Jung, Dae Hyun Baek, Dong Hee Kim, Yoon Young Jung, Won Mi Lee
Affiliations
Case Reports

Asymptomatic lymphangioma involving the spleen and retroperitoneum in adults

Sook Hee Chung et al. World J Gastroenterol. .

Abstract

Lymphangioma, a benign neoplasm of the lymphatic system, is common in children but rare in adults. Its clinical manifestations include abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting and a palpable mass. However, abdominal sonography or abdominal computed tomography (CT) scan can also incidentally reveal lymphangioma. A larger or symptomatic lymphangioma is treated with total resection to prevent recurrence, infection, torsion and enlargement. Although lymphangioma rarely becomes malignant, its prognosis is generally good. We report a cystic lymphangioma of the spleen and retroperitoneum, which was incidentally found in a 56-year-old man who was hospitalized due to a colon mass. Physical examination showed no specific findings. Abdominal CT revealed a 5.7 cm, non-enhanced multilobulated cystic mass with multiple septa in the spleen and a 10 cm lobulated cystic mass in the paraaortic area. Splenectomy and retroperitoneal resection of the cystic mass were conducted. The endothelium of splenic and retroperitoneal cyst was immunohistochemically stained with D2-40 antibody. The patient was finally diagnosed with splenic cystic and retroperitoneal cavernous lymphangioma.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Enhanced abdominal CT and F-18 FDG Torso PET CT images of lymphangioma. A: A 5.7 cm lobulated & septated mass without enhancement in the spleen (white arrow); B: A 10 cm lobulated cystic mass in the paraaortic area (white arrow); C: A hypermetabolic lesion in the sigmoid colon mass (white arrow) and maxSUV 23 but no hypermetabolic lesion in the spleen and retroperitoneum.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Gross and microscopic images of splenic lymphangioma. A: A 4.5 cm × 3.5 cm bulging cystic mass in lower pole; B: HE staining of splenic lymphangioma, × 20; C: Immunostaining with D2-40 antibody (× 200) for cystic lining cells.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Gross and microscopic images of retroperitoneal lymphangioma. A: A 4.5 cm × 4.5 cm × 2.5 cm retroperitoneal mass; B: HE staining of retroperitoneal lymphangioma, × 20; C: Immunostaining with D2-40 antibody (× 200) for cystic lining cells.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

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