Images in pancreatology: Lipoma of the pancreas

摘要

A 43-year-old woman with a history of cesarean and right oophorectomy presented with dyspepsia and epigastric discomfort attributed to a carcinoid gastric tumor. Physical examination was normal. Subsequent Computed Tomography (CT) demonstrated a 17 mm, nonenhancing well-circumscribed mass in the head of the pancreas, composed entirely of fat. Abdominal endoscopic ultrasonography (US) showed a round, solid, hypoechoic mass within pancreas; there was no biliary tract or pancreatic duct obstacle. An endoscopic ultrasound-guided fine-needle aspiration biopsy (EUS-FNA) confirmed the diagnosis (mature fat cells with no atypia). Pancreatic lipomas are uncommon mesenchymal tumors accounting for 1-2% of all pancreatic neoplasms. In most cases, symptoms are not specific and the diagnosis is usually made by non-invasive imaging, CT and/or Magnetic Resonance Imaging.