[Etiological hypothesis on five cases of elastofibroma dorsi]

Area of Science:

• Orthopedics
• Pathology
• Radiology

Background:

• Elastofibroma dorsi is a rare, benign soft tissue tumor.
• It typically occurs in the subscapular region of the thoracic wall, predominantly in elderly women.
• The exact pathogenesis is unknown, but mechanical stress is a leading hypothesis.

Purpose of the Study:

• To present the authors' experience with five cases of elastofibroma dorsi.
• To correlate patient occupation with lesion localization.
• To reinforce the etiological hypothesis of mechanical stress.

Main Methods:

• Case series of five patients with elastofibroma dorsi.
• Diagnostic imaging including computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).
• Surgical excision and histological examination for diagnosis confirmation.

Main Results:

• Five patients (median age 64) presented with elastofibroma dorsi.
• Lesions were right-sided in three cases and bilateral in two.
• CT showed heterogeneous density; MRI revealed specific signal intensities characteristic of the tumor.

Conclusions:

• The findings support the hypothesis that elastofibroma dorsi results from repeated mechanical stress.
• Occupational correlation suggests a link between repetitive movements and lesion development, particularly in women.
• Accurate diagnosis relies on characteristic imaging findings and histological confirmation, differentiating it from sarcomas.