CASE REPORT: LIPOMA ARBORESCENS OF THE KNEE

Abstract

Lipoma arborescens is a rare intraarticular lesion consisting of villous lipomatous proliferation of the synovium that usually occurs in the knee. The cause is not clear. Magnetic resonans imaging (MRI) findings are diagnostic and MRI demonstrates large frondlike masses originating from synovium. The lesion has signal characteristics similar to fat in all pulse sequences. MRI is also useful in differentiating lipoma arborescens from other causes of a chronic swollen and painful joint, including rheumatoid arthritis, pigmented villonodular synovitis and synovial chondromatosis. MRI plays a major role in early diagnosis and treatment. To our knowledge, about 30 case reports were presented in the literature. Our case was one of the youngest ones. Although the duration of symptoms was approximately 5 years, no bone erosion and degeneration were detected. In this case report, we presented clinical and MRI findings of a case of lipoma arborescens and reviewed the literature.