Cervical paravertebral osteolipoma: case report and literature review

• Published in: Asian spine journal Vol. 9; no. 2; pp. 290 - 294
• Main Authors: Guirro, Pau, Saló, Guillem, Molina, Antoni, Lladó, Andreu, Puig-Verdié, Lluís, Ramírez-Valencia, Manuel
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Korea (South) Korean Society of Spine Surgery 01.04.2015; Korean Spine Society; 대한척추외과학회
• Subjects: Atypical lipoma; Case Report; Cervical paravertebral; Ossifying lipoma; Soft tissue tumor; 정형외과학; Soft tissue tumor; Ossifying lipoma; Atypical lipoma; Cervical paravertebral
• ISSN: 1976-1902; 1976-7846
• DOI: 10.4184/asj.2015.9.2.290

Lipomas are the most frequent soft tissue tumors. Osteolipomas are a rare variant that can be difficult to diagnose. We report the case of a 66-year-old man consulting with a tumor of 2 years development in the right paravertebral cervical region. Neurologically, the patient had no sign of myelopathy or neurological focality. Magnetic resonance imaging showed a mass with a lipid component and calcifications inside within the right paravertebral musculature with a possible origin in the right C3 posterior root. A computed tomography scan and guided biopsy were performed, revealing hematic material and small bone spicules with no apparent neoplastic element. The tumor was totally removed, including the right C3 posterior branch, and was confirmed to be an osteolipoma on biopsy. The patient remains asymptomatic at 6-month follow-up. The osteolipoma is a benign tumor of soft tissue, characterized by lipoma areas with mature bone tissue differentiation, and even with hematopoietic marrow.