title: Diffuse lipofibromatosis of the lower extremity masquerading as a vascular anomaly.
abstract: Lipofibromatosis is a slow-growing, childhood soft-tissue neoplasm that is often confused with other conditions. We report a patient with lipofibromatosis causing extremity enlargement at birth. The lesion initially was thought to be a vascular anomaly or lipedema on clinical and MRI examination. When involving the lower extremity, diffuse lipofibromatosis must be differentiated from more common causes of lower limb enlargement in children: lymphatic malformation, lymphedema, or lipedema. Compared with these more frequent conditions, lipofibromatosis usually causes less morbidity. Management of the tumor includes observation or excision. Because complete extirpation of the lesion is difficult, the recurrence rate is high.
authors.affiliation: Vascular Anomalies Center, Department of Plastic Surgery, Children's Hospital Boston, 300 Longwood Ave., Boston, MA 02115, USA. arin.greene@childrens.harvard.edu
authors.forename: Arin K
authors.initials: AK
authors.lastname: Greene
authors.forename: Julie
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Karnes
authors.forename: Horacio M
authors.initials: HM
authors.lastname: Padua
authors.forename: Birgitta A
authors.initials: BA
authors.lastname: Schmidt
authors.forename: James R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Kasser
authors.forename: Brian I
authors.initials: BI
authors.lastname: Labow
mesh_terms: D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005350:Fibroma / Q000175:diagnosis*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008068:Lipomatosis / Q000175:diagnosis*; D035002:Lower Extremity; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D012983:Soft Tissue Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis*; D054079:Vascular Malformations / Q000175:diagnosis*