Lipoma

Abstract

Although infrequent, lipomas are the most common non-epithelial benign gastrointestinal tumors after leiomyomas (Weinberg and Feldman 1955). Most gastrointestinal lipomas are asymptomatic and are discovered fortuitously, but they occasionally cause a wide, although nonspecific, spectrum of symptoms and can sometimes even mimic a malignancy (Reichbach and Kobayashi 1970). Until recently, radiologic diagnosis was usually difficult because barium studies could determine the benign nature of the tumor but could not specify the etiology. CT now allows pathognomonic diagnosis by demonstrating the fat density of these tumors (Megibow et al. 1979; Nijssens et al. 1983; Ormson et al. 1985). After a review of general anatomic features, gastrointestinal lipomas are discussed for each gastrointestinal site. The clinical and paraclinical symptoms including barium findings, which suggest the etiology, are discussed before the CT patterns, which are diagnostic.

Written in collaboration with G. Schmutz.