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Mesothelial cyst of the spleen mimicking a metastasis: a case report
Mihyeon Park1, Jisun Lee2, Yook Kim1
1Department of Radiology, Chungbuk National University Hospital, Cheongju, Republic of Korea.
Abstract:
Mesothelial cyst of the spleen is a developmental disorder. Previous reports have elaborated on the radiological features of splenic mesothelial cysts as being unilocular with a smooth and well-defined margin. However, due to its rarity, it is unclear whether these characteristics are representative and specific for the diagnosis of mesothelial cysts. Herein, this case report presents an atypical case of splenic mesothelial cyst mimicking a malignant tumour, especially splenic metastasis in a 66-year-old woman with ascending colon cancer. Due to an overlapping imaging finding of hypodense splenic lesions, and considering the clinical history, a mesothelial cyst that developed as a multilocular hypodense mass from an ill-defined small nodule was inevitably misdiagnosed as metastasis. Although rare, it is important to consider the possibility of mesothelial cyst in a patient with multilocular hypodense lesions of the spleen.
Insights
A rare splenic mesothelial cyst presented atypically as a multilocular mass, mimicking metastasis in a patient with colon cancer. This case highlights the importance of considering splenic mesothelial cysts even with unusual imaging findings.
Area of Science:
- Radiology
- Oncology
- Pathology
Background:
- Splenic mesothelial cysts are rare developmental disorders.
- Typical radiological features include unilocular cysts with smooth margins.
- Rarity makes definitive diagnosis challenging based on imaging alone.
