Subcutaneous angioleiomyomas: gray-scale and color Doppler sonographic appearances

To describe the gray-scale Doppler and sonographic features of a series of subcutaneous angioleiomyomas.

The sonographic appearances of 10 pathologically proven angioleiomyomas were retrospectively reviewed; 4 in women and 6 in men, with an age range from 33 to 77 years. We evaluated size, shape, echo pattern, margins, location, relationships with adjacent structures, and vascularity. Examinations were performed using a multifrequency linear array transducer (9-11 MHz) connected to a Logiq 500 scanner (GE, Milwaukee, Wl).

All tumors were subcutaneous and located in the extremities (7 in the lower extremities, 3 in the upper extremities). The sizes ranged from 0.6 to 6.4 cm, with an average size of 2 cm. All of the lesions were hypoechoic with well-defined margins, and 9 were oval. Intratumoral calcifications were observed in two patients. Vascularity was easily detected in all of them, and 4 tumors had a clear vascular pedicle. The spectral Doppler analysis performed in 5 cases, revealing a low-resistance arterial waveform in 4 patients.

Although angioleiomyomas are uncommon soft tissue tumors, the presence of a well-defined, hypoechoic, vascular subcutaneous tumor in the extremities should raise the possibility of such a diagnosis.