Fan JX, Jiang YP, Yao MQ. Adult ileocolic intussusception caused by a terminal ileal lipoma: A case report. World J Radiol 2026; 18(4): 120706 [DOI: 10.4329/wjr.v18.i4.120706]
Corresponding Author of This Article
Min-Quan Yao, Associate Chief Physician, Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, Tongxiang First People’s Hospital, No. 1918 Jiaochang East Road, Jiaxing 314500, Zhejiang Province, China. tianya0573@163.com
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Gastroenterology & Hepatology
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Case Report
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Apr 28, 2026 (publication date) through Apr 24, 2026
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World Journal of Radiology
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1949-8470
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Baishideng Publishing Group Inc, 7041 Koll Center Parkway, Suite 160, Pleasanton, CA 94566, USA
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Fan JX, Jiang YP, Yao MQ. Adult ileocolic intussusception caused by a terminal ileal lipoma: A case report. World J Radiol 2026; 18(4): 120706 [DOI: 10.4329/wjr.v18.i4.120706]
World J Radiol. Apr 28, 2026; 18(4): 120706 Published online Apr 28, 2026. doi: 10.4329/wjr.v18.i4.120706
Adult ileocolic intussusception caused by a terminal ileal lipoma: A case report
Jin-Xing Fan, Yu-Peng Jiang, Min-Quan Yao
Jin-Xing Fan, Endoscopy Center, Tongxiang First People’s Hospital, Jiaxing 314500, Zhejiang Province, China
Yu-Peng Jiang, Min-Quan Yao, Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, Tongxiang First People’s Hospital, Jiaxing 314500, Zhejiang Province, China
Author contributions: Fan JX organized the patient information, generated the data and wrote the manuscript; Jiang YP contributed to assessment of imaging examination; Yao MQ participated in clinical and intellectual discussions related to the article; and all authors have read and approved the final manuscript.
Informed consent statement: Written informed consent was obtained from the patient for publication of this report and any accompanying images.
Conflict-of-interest statement: All authors declare that they have no conflict of interest to disclose.
CARE Checklist (2016) statement: The authors have read the CARE Checklist (2016), and the manuscript was prepared and revised according to the CARE Checklist (2016).
Corresponding author: Min-Quan Yao, Associate Chief Physician, Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, Tongxiang First People’s Hospital, No. 1918 Jiaochang East Road, Jiaxing 314500, Zhejiang Province, China. tianya0573@163.com
Received: March 6, 2026 Revised: March 17, 2026 Accepted: March 30, 2026 Published online: April 28, 2026 Processing time: 49 Days and 14.3 Hours
Abstract
BACKGROUND
Adult intussusception is a rare clinical condition. Unlike in pediatric cases, adult intussusception often has a definable lead point, with benign or malignant tumors being the most common etiology. Small intestinal lipoma is a rare cause of adult intussusception. It typically presents with non-specific symptoms and an insidious onset, frequently leading to misdiagnosis or discovery only during emergency surgery. Abdominal computed tomography (CT) plays a pivotal role in preoperative diagnosis, yet its specific findings in lipoma-induced intussusception warrant further emphasis.
CASE SUMMARY
A 30-year-old man presented with a one-week history of abdominal pain and distension, followed by dark red bloody stools for four days. Physical examination revealed abdominal distension and right lower quadrant tenderness without rebound tenderness. Laboratory tests showed mildly elevated inflammatory markers. Abdominal CT revealed ileocolic intussusception with a well-defined lesion at the lead point demonstrating homogeneous fat attenuation (approximately -53 Hounsfield units), a finding pathognomonic for a lipoma. Emergency exploratory laparotomy confirmed an irreducible ileal intussusception into the cecum and ascending colon. An ileocecal resection with side-to-side anastomosis was performed. Pathological examination of the resected specimen confirmed a 4.0 cm × 3.0 cm × 2.5 cm submucosal ileal lipoma with overlying mucosal erosion. The patient recovered well after surgery despite a minor wound infection, and no recurrence was observed during the five-month follow-up period.
CONCLUSION
CT is the modality of choice for diagnosing ileal lipoma-induced intussusception, as it can definitively identify the pathognomonic fat-density lead point. Surgical resection remains the definitive treatment, yielding good outcomes.
Core Tip: Adult intussusception is rare and often tumor-related. This case of ileocolic intussusception in a 30-year-old male underscores the critical diagnostic role of computed tomography (CT). CT not only confirmed the intussusception but, more importantly, identified the pathognomonic fat-density lead point, enabling a preoperative diagnosis of a lipoma. This case highlights that for radiologists and clinicians, recognizing this specific CT feature is key to accurate diagnosis and appropriate surgical planning in young adults. Identifying this benign feature on CT can also help avoid unnecessary oncologic surgery.
