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Aggressive angiomyxoma of the thigh.Skeletal
Radiol. 2008 Mar.
Aggressive
angiomyxoma is a rare tumour that typically occurs in the perineum
in women of reproductive age. A small number of cases occurring in
men have been reported, all of which were located in the low
pelvis, perineum or scrotum. While benign, the tumour is locally
infiltrative and consequently has a high rate of local recurrence
following surgery; therefore, accurate pre-operative diagnosis is
important. The characteristic location of these tumours in the low
pelvis or perineum has led to speculation that aggressive
angiomyxomas arise from a mesenchymal cell that is unique to the
perineum. We describe a case of aggressive angiomyxoma arising in
the thigh of a 54-year-old man, which we believe is the first
reported instance of this rare neoplasm occurring remote from the
pelvis or perineum in a male patient. Cross-sectional imaging
demonstrated a well-defined mass that had low density on CT and
high intensity on fluid-sensitive MR sequences. Biopsy was
non-diagnostic and excision was performed. At histological
analysis, the tumour exhibited the characteristic features of
aggressive angiomyxoma, with bland spindle cells and large,
hyalinised blood vessels in a hypocellular myxoid matrix.
Extensive immunohistochemical staining further supported the
diagnosis. While the imaging features of these tumours are
non-specific and suggestive of myxoid neoplasms, the diagnosis
should be considered whenever biopsy of a myxoid-appearing mass
yields hypocellular, non-diagnostic material, despite adequate
sampling. |