[Rare intramuscular haemangioma of the sternocleidomastoid muscle]

Intramuscular tumours of the head and neck often represent a differential diagnostic challenge. We report the rare case of an intramuscular haemangioma arising from the sternocleidomastoid muscle in the 6th decade. Pre-operative diagnosis was difficult, as these tumours are extremely uncommon in the head and neck region, with only very few cases reported in the literature. Due to the marked tendency of intramuscular hemangiomas to recur, accurate preoperative diagnosis forms the basis of adequate surgical therapy with sufficient safety margins.