Published online Oct 16, 2021. doi: 10.12998/wjcc.v9.i29.8710
Peer-review started: June 17, 2021
First decision: July 5, 2021
Revised: July 14, 2021
Accepted: August 13, 2021
Article in press: August 13, 2021
Published online: October 16, 2021
Processing time: 120 Days and 7.9 Hours
Desmoid fibroma is a rare soft tissue tumor originating from the aponeurosis, fascia, and muscle, and it is also known as aponeurotic fibroma, invasive fibroma, or ligamentous fibroma.
The soft tissue of the extremities is an important location of desmoid fibroma; its pathogenesis has not yet been elucidated.
This study aimed to analyze the data of patients with desmoid fibroma of the extremities from our hospital in order to clarify the clinical and imaging of this disease.
We selected 13 patients with desmoid fibroma of the extremities. All patients underwent computed tomography (CT), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and pathological examination of the lesion.
Neurovascular tract invasion was present in 30.77% of cases. CT examination showed that the desmoid tumors had a slightly lower density, higher enhancement, and unclear boundary; a CT value < 50 Hu was present in 53.85% of lesions, and the enhancement was uneven in 53.85% of cases. Microscopically, fibroblasts and myofibroblasts were arranged in strands and bundles, without obvious atypia but with occasional karyotyping; cells were surrounded by collagen tissue.
Desmoid tumors of the extremities have certain imaging features on CT and MRI. The two imaging techniques can be combined to improve the diagnostic accuracy, achieve a comprehensive diagnosis of the disease in the clinical practice, and reduce the risk of missed diagnosis or misdiagnosis.
Further investigations on larger samples are needed to confirm whether the results of our study are applicable on a broader scale.