Background: Osseous hemangiomas, especially those located in the manubrium, are rare benign tumors. In a review of the literature, only three case reports of sternal hemangioma were found. A precise diagnosis is difficult because of their nonspecific findings on computed tomography (CT)/magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).
Case summary: An 88-year-old woman was suffering from a progressively enlarging mass in the manubrium. Chest CT images showed an osteolytic and expansile lesion with cortical destruction. Vascular malformation was suspected after CT-guided biopsy. On the dynamic MRI scans, the mass showed a bright signal on the T2-weighted image, peripheral nodular enhancement on the early-phase images and progressive centripetal fill-in on the delayed-phase images. Cavernous hemangioma was suspected preoperatively based on the MRI features and finally confirmed by histopathologic analysis.
Conclusion: This uncommon case demonstrates the possible characteristic features of manubrium cavernous hemangioma on dynamic MRI scans; knowledge about these features may prevent patients from developing catastrophic complications, such as rupture or internal hemorrhage, caused by biopsy or surgery.
Keywords: Bone tumor; Case report; Hemangioma; Magnetic resonance imaging; Osteolytic mass; Sternum.
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