Posterior mediastinal angiomyxolipoma with spinal canal extension.

BACKGROUND

Angiomyxolipoma is a benign tumor considered as a variant of lipoma and that occurs mainly in the subcutis. The mediastinal location hasn't been previously reported.

AIM: To describe the radiological features of this tumor in its posterior mediastinal location and to confront them to the pathological features.

CASE REPORT: We report the case of a 49-year-old woman who was admitted for chest wall pain and neurologic disturbance of her two lower limbs. The chest X-ray showed a posterior mediastinal opacity. On CT examination, this mass contained some small areas of fat and enhanced intensely. Microscopic examination of the excised mass confirmed the diagnosis of posterior mediastinal angiomyxolipoma.

CONCLUSION

Mediastinal location of angiomyxolipoma hasn't been previously reported. Clinicians and radiologists should be aware that this diagnosis should be suggested, among others, when there is a posterior mediastinal mass that contains fat and that intensely enhances with a possible spinal cord extension.