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Cranial fasciitis of childhood: a case report
Y Sato1, T Kitamura, Y Suganuma
1Department of Pediatric Surgery, Hachioji Children's Hospital, Tokyo.
Insights
Cranial fasciitis is a benign scalp lesion in children, often mistaken for cancer. This case highlights its presentation and emphasizes further investigation of this rare condition.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Pathology
- Skeletal Biology
Background:
- Cranial fasciitis is a rare, benign soft tissue tumor affecting the skull.
- It is often misdiagnosed as a malignant neoplasm due to its aggressive appearance on imaging.
Observation:
- A 7-year-old boy presented with a hard scalp mass, following a prior scalp injury.
- Imaging revealed an ossifying soft tissue mass causing skull erosion.
Findings:
- Surgical excision confirmed the lesion was cranial fasciitis, composed of immature fibroblasts.
- The benign nature of the lesion was confirmed histopathologically.
Implications:
- This case underscores the importance of considering benign conditions like cranial fasciitis in pediatric scalp masses.
- Accurate diagnosis is crucial to avoid unnecessary aggressive treatment for this non-cancerous lesion.
Abstract:
We present a case with cranial fasciitis in childhood and review the literature. A 7-year-old boy presented with hard mass on the scalp. He had sustained a bruise on the right temporal region about 2 years previously. Ultrasonic examination and CT scanning revealed the ossifying soft tissue mass in the right temporal scalp causing erosion and scalloping of the outer table of the skull. At surgery the lesion was firmly attached to the periosteum and the skull. The lesion was completely excised and the lytic bone curettaged. The tumor was composed of immature fibroblasts and diagnosed as cranial fasciitis in childhood. A brief review of the literature is included emphasizing the need to investigate further this completely benign lesion that is frequently confused with a malignant neoplasm.