Gossypiboma in abdomen and pelvis: MRI findings in four patients

The purpose of our study was to describe the MRI features of gossypiboma and correlate the MRI findings with the pathologic findings in four patients.

On MRI, gossypiboma in the abdomen and pelvis manifested as a well-defined mass that showed a peripheral wall of low signal intensity at T1- and T2-weighted imaging and enhancement at contrast-enhanced T1-weighted imaging. The whorled stripes within the central portion were characteristically shown as low signal at T2-weighted imaging, and the serrated contour in the inner border of the peripheral wall was shown at contrast-enhanced T1-weighted imaging. Histopathologically, the peripheral wall showed granulomatous inflammation with massive fibrosis and foam cell and multinucleated giant cell infiltrations, whereas the whorled stripes within the central portion were gauze fibers. If a patient has a history of a previous operation, the possibility of gossypiboma should be suggested when the central whorled stripes or serrated contour in the inner border of the peripheral wall is present at MRI.