Uterine lipoma: advantage of MRI over ultrasound

Abstract

Pure fatty tumours of the uterus are exceedingly rare. A case of uterine lipoma demonstrated on ultrasound and MRI with pathological correlation is described. Ultrasound suggested the presence of a uterine lipoma but MRI permitted an unequivocal diagnosis. The usefulness of the various imaging methods is discussed in correctly diagnosing this entity and avoiding unnecessary surgery in the asymptomatic patient.

Lipoleiomyoma of Uterus: A Case Report

“…[5] Malignant degeneration in uterine lipoleiomyoma is extremely rare, although it has been reported in the literature. [6] Lipoleiomyoma is a benign soft tissue tumour which was first described in 1991 by Meis and Enzinger. They usually occur within the abdominal cavity and retroperitoneum, although it may also be found in the subcutis and muscular fascia.…”

“…[10] Now, many theories have been proposed, including misplaced embryonic fat cells, direct metaplasia of smooth muscle or connective tissue into fat cells and proliferation of accompanying perivascular fat cell into blood vessel, inclusion of fat cells into the uterine wall during surgery, or fatty infiltration or degeneration of connective tissue. [6] A number of various lipid metabolic disorders or other associated conditions, which are associated with estrogen deficiency as occurs in peri or post-menopausal period, possibly promote abnormal intracellular storage of lipids. [11] There are a number of differential diagnoses for a fat-containing tumor in the female pelvis, such as benign cystic ovarian teratoma, malignant degeneration of a benign cystic ovarian teratoma, non-teratomatous lipomatous ovarian tumor, benign pelvic lipoma, liposarcoma, extra-adrenal myelolipoma in pelvis, lipoblastic lymphadenopathy and retroperitoneal cystic hamartoma.…”

An Asymptomatic Lipoleiomyoma in Post Menopausal Woman: A Case Report

“…[4,6] Patients are mostly asymptomatic but can experience pelvic discomfort and pressure and vaginal bleeding. [6,7] Differential diagnosis of fat containing mass in female pelvis are benign cystic ovarian teratoma, ovarian lipoma, or possibly ovarian lipoleiomyoma. [5,8] Cases of liposarcoma developing from lipoleiomyoma have been reported.…”

“…Adipose metaplasia of stromal or smooth muscle cells in leiomyoma. [7] It was previously called fatty metamorphosis, lipomatous degeneration, adipose metaplasia. [10,11] It is now regarded as true neoplasm.…”

A Case Report and Review of the Literature on Uterine Fatty Tumours (UFT): A Field of Heterogeneous Data

“…Therefore sometime correct counselling of these lesions is not easy in particular considering the finding of an association with sarcomas and endometrial cancers in 10% of the cases. Literature description of the lipomatous uterine tumours is highly variable as much as it is the biology of these tumours, the histotype and also the criteria used to study their incidence [23,24]. Despite all the UFT appear similar (with a bright yellow colour and soft tissue consistency) they show, after microscopy, different histological constitution.…”