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Mesenteric Lymphangioma
Case Detail
| Anatomy: Gastrointestinal |
 Joseph Junewick, MD FACR |
| Diagnostic Category: Vascular |
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| Created: about 1 year ago |
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| Updated: about 1 year ago |
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| Tags:
PEDS
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| Modality/Study Types:
US
CT
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Activities:  PDF  ImageJA |
History
Teenage female with abdominal pain and palpable mass.
Case Images
Diagnosis
Mesenteric Lymphangioma
Findings
US – Multiloculated mass with low-level echogenicity.
CT – Infiltrative fluid-attenuation mesenteric mass displacing bowel.
Discussion
Lymphangiomas may represent either congenital malformations of the lymphatic system or benign neoplasms. Typically lymphangiomas appear as large, thin-walled, multiloculated cysts at CT and US. Surgical resection often necessitates bowel resection since the lymphangiomas are inseparable from the vascular supply of the mesentery/omentum. The cyst walls are often uniformly thin and imperceptible, but vessels may be seen coursing between locules. On CT attenuation of cyst contents varies; slightly higher than water attenuation may be related to trauma or infection and slightly lower than water attenuation may be related to the presence of chyle. On US cyst contents may be anechoic or have minimal low-level echoes.
Reference
Pickhardt PJ and Bhalla S. Primary Neoplasms of Peritoneal and Sub-peritoneal Origin: CT Findings. Radiographics (2005); 25:983-995.