[Intrathoracic hibernoma].
BACKGROUND
A hibernoma is a rare, often asymptomatic benign tumour which usually develops in adults and resembles brown adipose tissue of foetal origin. They occur most often in the thigh. Intrathoracic hibernomas are rare and often discovered incidentally. Hibernomas can infiltrate to adjacent structures.


METHODS
A 29-year-old woman consulted her GP for left-sided thoracic pain. A chest X-ray showed scoliosis of the thoracic spine and a large mass. Further investigations showed a large intrathoracic soft tissue mass with compression of the right lung. Histological samples taken from an open biopsy confirmed the diagnosis of a hibernoma.


CONCLUSIONS
For the correct diagnosis of a hibernoma, histopathological analysis is always necessary. Malignant transformation or metastases have not been described in the literature. Surgical excision of the tumour is always recommended and after complete excision the prognosis for patients is excellent.
Universitair Medisch Centrum St Radboud, afd. Pathologie, Nijmegen.
Fraukje J M
FJ
Pol
Uta
U
Flucke
Kourosh
K
Jafari
D000328:Adult; D001415:Back / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008067:Lipoma / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology; D011379:Prognosis; D013902:Radiography, Thoracic; D013899:Thoracic Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology