GIANT RETROPERITONEAL LIPOMA MIMICKING LIPOBLASTOMA ON ABDOMINAL CT: A CASE REPORT

Abstract

Rapidly growing abdominal masses in children are highly suspicious for malignant tumors, such as neuroblastoma or Wilms tumor. In the present case, we describe the case of a 3-year-old child who presented with progressive abdominal distension. On examination, a huge abdominal mass was palpable. CT abdomen showed a giant, fat-containing, retroperitoneal mass with no evidence of invasion. Ultrasound-guided trucut biopsy was consistent with a lipomatous lesion. A clinical diagnosis of lipoblastoma was made and patient underwent surgical excision. However, final histopathology showed mature adipocytes with no evidence of lipoblasts. This was an unusual case of a giant lipoma, which mimicked a retroperitoneal lipoblastoma on abdominal CT. This case is instructive to all pediatric radiologists as it highlights the importance of considering benign tumors (such as lipoma) in the differential diagnosis of a retroperitoneal mass in children.