[Multiple hydatid cysts of the thigh: the role of magnetic resonance imaging].

Hydatid cysts of the thigh are uncommon in our country despite a high frequency of hydatic disease which is estimated to affect 5.33% of the general population. Diagnosis is usually made late in the clinical course. Ultrasonography, CT scan and magnetic resonance imaging are the most helpful diagnostic tools. We report a case of a 76-year-old female smoker who had undergone surgery for a hydatic cyst of the right lung at the age of 56 years. In June 1997, the patient was admitted for decompensation of chronic obstructive lung disease. Physical examination revealed a 6 cm painless mass in the right thigh which had developed progressively over the last year. Ultrasonography showed multiple hydatic cysts. Magnetic resonance imaging confirmed the diagnosis, showing interconnected multivesicular cystic formations. Medical treatment was given due to respiratory failure and patient refusal of a surgical procedure.