Morel-Lavallée lesion: diagnosis and treatment with imaging techniques

We aim to review the characteristics of Morel-Lavallée lesions and to evaluate their treatment.

We retrospectively reviewed 17 patients (11 men and 6 women; mean age, 56.1 years, range 25-81 years) diagnosed with Morel-Lavallée lesions in two different departments. All patients underwent ultrasonography, 5 underwent computed tomography, and 9 underwent magnetic resonance imaging. Percutaneous treatment with fine-needle aspiration and/or drainage with a 6F-8F catheter was performed in 13 patients. Two patients required percutaneous sclerosis with doxycycline.

All patients responded adequately to percutaneous treatment, although it was necessary to repeat the procedure in 4 patients.

Radiologists need to be familiar with this lesion that can be treated percutaneously in the ultrasonography suite when it is not associated with other entities.