Paraduodenal inflammatory pseudotumor masquerading as malignancy

Area of Science:

• Gastroenterology
• Surgical Pathology

Background:

• Abdominal pain and distension can indicate intra-abdominal masses.
• Accurate diagnosis of abdominal masses is crucial for effective treatment.

Observation:

• A 30-year-old woman presented with severe abdominal pain and distension.
• CT imaging revealed two intra-abdominal masses: one in the liver and another near the duodenum.

Findings:

• Initial biopsies suggested focal nodular hyperplasia of the liver and non-specific lymphocytic infiltrate in the paraduodenal mass.
• Laparoscopic resection of the paraduodenal mass was performed due to persistent symptoms.
• Final pathology confirmed the paraduodenal mass as an inflammatory pseudotumor.

Implications:

• Inflammatory pseudotumors can mimic other abdominal pathologies.
• Surgical resection can be curative for symptomatic inflammatory pseudotumors.
• This case highlights the importance of definitive histopathological diagnosis for intra-abdominal masses.