No abstract

Cystic mesenchymal hamartoma is an uncommon benign liver neoplasm usually seen in infants with an asymptomatic abdominal mass [1]. We report a neonate who presented with a ruptured cystic mesenchymal hamartoma which produced respiratory distress due to massive ascites. To our knowledge, this complication has never been reported.

Tuberculosis presenting as a soft tissue mass is rare. The diagnosis should be considered in patients with radiographic findings of massive soft tissue swelling and cortical bone destruction. Such patients may present with few clinical findings and have no evidence of prior exposure to tuberculosis or history of immunosuppression. Computed tomography may be of use in distinguishing infection from malignancy.

Magnetic resonance (MR) images of 12 pathologically proven lesions of Langerhans cell histiocytosis (LCH) of bone were reviewed retrospectively. MR identified all lesions, three of which were not identified on plain radiographs. In all cases, MR showed greater abnormality than did plain radiographs. With one exception, all lesions were hypointense on T1-weighted images and hyperintense on T2-weighted images. The lesions and associated soft tissue abnormalities were very conspicuous on short TI inversion sequences and T1-weighted post-contrast images. Follow-up MR studies in two patients after chemotherapy showed decreased size and enhancement of lesions compared with baseline studies.