Rare benign mesenchymal tumor of embryonal white fat
Infancy and early childhood, common less than 3 years, common in male babies
Benign lipoblastoma - well circumscribed lesion, 70%
Benign lipoblastomatosis - diffuse, infiltrating lesion, 30%; common in extremities, also in trunk, neck, retroperitoneum, mediastinum, perineum
Usually evelove into mature lipomas
Symptoms depend on the site and include upper respiratory symptoms, fever, intermittent airway obstruction , vomiting, diarrhea, anorexia, abdominal pain
Radiograph:
Lucent mass
US:
Well defined, lobular hyperechoic mass with internal septations. Hypoechoic if myxoid component
CT and MR:
Similar to fat.
With more of myxoid component shows low attenuation on CT, and low signal on T1 and high on T2 due to high water content. These areas enhance due to rich capillary network.
Not possibel to differentiate from myxoid liposarcoma (but liposarcomas are extremely rare in less than 10 years of age
Treated with wide surgical resection
No malignant potential
References:
Murphey MD et al. Benign Musculoskeletal Lipomatous Lesions. RadioGraphics 2004;24:1433-1466
