A rare case of diffuse neurofibroma masquerading as a hemangioma: a radiological perspective

Diffuse neurofibroma is a rarely encountered subtype of neurofibroma but the most common to be misdiagnosed. Its imaging appearance is very similar to that of a vascular malformation, and it is often labelled one until a biopsy proves it to be otherwise. The infrequency of its association with neurofibromatosis makes it a rare and difficult diagnosis. Here, we report the case of a 16-year-old girl who presented with the complaint of a gradually progressive swelling around the right ankle and heel, which was initially diagnosed as a case of a vascular malformation. However, it subsequently turned out to be a diffuse neurofibroma.