title: Iliac artery pseudoaneurysm presenting as a paravertebral collection: a potentially fatal mimic.
abstract: Pseudoaneurysms of the iliac arteries are extremely rare and can complicate trauma, surgical or interventional procedures. We report a case of pseudoaneurysm arising from the common iliac artery in a 37-year-old man which presented as a paravertebral collection. As the MRI appearance mimicked spondylodiscitis, a CT guided biopsy was requested. However, the presence of a signal void centre guided the radiologist to the correct diagnosis, which was later confirmed on contrast-enhanced CT. Following unsuccessful treatment by percutaneous thrombin injection, open surgery was performed which revealed a leaking aneurysm associated with a huge retroperitoneal haematoma. We present this case to highlight the importance of considering vascular lesions as a differential diagnosis in patients presenting with a mass or pressure symptoms in different parts of the body. Misdiagnosing such lesions as soft tissue tumours or abscesses may result in serious consequences.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Khoula Hospital, Muscat, Oman.
authors.forename: Sawsan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Taif
authors.forename: Asif
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Alrawi
authors.forename: Jokha
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Al-Kalbani
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D017541:Aneurysm, False / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000628:therapy; D000792:Angiography; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D015299:Discitis / Q000175:diagnosis*; D004621:Embolization, Therapeutic; D006801:Humans; D007083:Iliac Artery / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed