Published online Jun 26, 2020. doi: 10.12998/wjcc.v8.i12.2502
Peer-review started: February 24, 2020
First decision: March 27, 2020
Revised: April 10, 2020
Accepted: May 19, 2020
Article in press: May 19, 2020
Published online: June 26, 2020
Processing time: 120 Days and 21.5 Hours
Minimal-fat angiomyolipoma (mf-AML) is often misdiagnosed as renal cell carcinoma before surgery.
To analyze the magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) features of mf-AML and the causes of misdiagnosis by MRI before operation.
A retrospective analysis was performed on ten patients with mf-AML confirmed by surgical pathology, all of whom underwent preoperative MRI examination to analyze the morphological characteristics and MRI signals of the tumor.
MRI revealed a circular-like mass in 4/10 (40%) patients, an oval mass in 6/10 patients (60%), a mass with a capsule in 9/10 patients (90%), and a mass with a lipid component in 7/10 patients (70%). The diameter of the masses in all ten patients was from 11 to 47 mm; the diameter was between 11 mm and 40 mm in 8/10 (80%) patients and between 40 mm and 47 mm in 2/10 (20%) patients.
An oval morphological characteristic is strong evidence for the diagnosis of mf-AML, while a capsule and lipids are atypical manifestations of mf-AML.
Core tip: In magnetic resonance imaging, the oval or round-like morphological features, particularly oval or ellipse features, are of great significance for the diagnosis of minimal-fat angiomyolipoma. Capsules, lipid composition, and washout are atypical manifestations of minimal-fat angiomyolipoma.