1996 Volume 57 Issue 11 Pages 2808-2812
We experienced a patient with lymphangioma of the lesser omentum who was first suspected of the disease by imaging diagnoses and ultrasonography-guided needle aspiration cytology, and was definitely diagnosed as it by extirpation of the tumor.
A 39-year-old man staying at the hospital for the treatment of hemorrhagic gastric ulcer was found having a 11×5cm multilocular cystic tumor locating among the left lobe of the liver, lesser curvature of the stomach, and pancreas on abdominal ultrasonography and abdominal CT. Upper gastrointestinal series revealed an extramural pressure on the lesser curvature by the tumor. Angiography visualized expansive and extending images of the left gastric artery and splenic artery. Ultrasonography-guided needle aspiration cytology showed mainly lymphocytes without any malignant cells. Extirpation of the tumor was carried out. The extirpated specimen revealed multilocular cystic tumor which had not solid portion in the cyst and contained yellow, transparent and serosity liquid. Histopathologically it was lymphangioma.
It is thought that preoperative diagnosis of lymphangioma of the lesser omentum is made with difficulty only by imagins. In all reported cases including our case undergoing preoperative needle aspiration cytology, mainly lymphocytes were revealed. When needle aspiration cytology for a cystic tumor of the lesser omentum provides the above mentioned findings, a possibility of the disease may be strongly suggested.
