title: Uterine smooth-muscle tumors with unusual growth patterns: imaging with pathologic correlation.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This essay illustrates the salient features of variant smooth-muscle tumors on multiple imaging techniques with correlative pathology. We describe how recognition of these features allows the radiologist to distinguish a uterine leiomyoma variant from the classic fibroid or a leiomyosarcoma. Finally, we highlight the role of the radiologist in triaging these patients to surgical versus medical management and in surgical planning.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Parasitic leiomyoma, intravenous leiomyomatosis, disseminated peritoneal leiomyomatosis, and benign metastasizing leiomyoma show key features on multiple imaging techniques that correlate with pathology findings. In the appropriate clinical setting, the radiologist should include these unusual lesions in the broader differential diagnosis of smooth-muscle tumors and, in certain cases, aid in surgical planning.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital, 55 Fruit St., White 270, Boston, MA 02114, USA.
authors.forename: Daniel T
authors.initials: DT
authors.lastname: Cohen
authors.forename: Esther
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Oliva
authors.forename: Peter F
authors.initials: PF
authors.lastname: Hahn
authors.forename: Arlan F
authors.initials: AF
authors.lastname: Fuller
authors.forename: Susanna I
authors.initials: SI
authors.lastname: Lee
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003952:Diagnostic Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007089:Image Enhancement / Q000379:methods*; D007889:Leiomyoma / Q000175:diagnosis*; D008875:Middle Aged; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic; D010818:Practice Patterns, Physicians'; D018235:Smooth Muscle Tumor / Q000175:diagnosis*; D014594:Uterine Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis*