Resected Lymphangioma Originating from the Greater Omentum in an Adult, Diagnosed Preoperatively

Toshihide Arai, Satoshi Inaba, Hidehiko Yabuki, Daitarou Yoshikawa, Akira Ishizaki, Ichirou Tomita^* and Hidenori Karasaki^*

Department of Surgery, Engaru Kousei Hospital
Second Department of Surgery, Asahikawa Medical College^*

Lymphagioma originating from the greater omentum is rare in adults and its preoperative diagnosis is rare. We report a case of lymphangioma diagnosed preoperatively by computed tomography (CT), ultrasonography (US), and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). A 55-year-old man reporting abdominal pain and enlarged abdomen was found in CT to have a solid tumor extending from the area adjacent to the greater curvature of the stomach to the pelvis. US showed the tumor to be multilocular and in MRI to have a cystic lymphangioma pattern. Based on these findings and other test, We diagnosed the tumor as lymphangioma originating from the greater omentum. When the abdomen was incised, we found a thin-membrane-covered tumor occupying the anterior abdominal cavity. After releasing the omental bursa then moving the greater omentum toward the head, the pancreas and gastrocolic ligament were noted and the tumor was confirmed to originate from the greater omentum. The tumor contained transparent, slightly viscous fluid. Pathological examination showed lymph vessel hyperplasia extending to a cyst in the greater omentum without atypical endothelial cells. The diagnosis of lymphangioma was thus comfirmed.

Key words
lymhpangioma, omental tumor, MRI

Reprint requests
Toshihide Arai Department of Surgery, Engaru Kousei Hospital Engaru-cho, Monbetu-Gun, Hokkaido, 099-0494 JAPAN

Accepted
July 24, 2002

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