Lipomatosis

Colon tumor
Mesenchymal tumors
Lipomatosis

Author: Raul S. Gonzalez, M.D. (see Authors page)

Revised: 1 May 2017, last major update April 2017

Copyright: (c) 2003-2017, PathologyOutlines.com, Inc.

PubMed search: colonic lipomatosis

Table of Contents

Cite this page: Lipomatosis. PathologyOutlines.com website. http://www.pathologyoutlines.com/topic/colontumorlipomatosis.html. Accessed July 14th, 2017.

Definition / general

Development of multiple benign lipomas throughout the colon

Essential features

Multiple submucosal lipomas arise in colon, usually in young patients
Rare process that may cause intestinal obstruction

Terminology

Sometimes termed lipohyperplasia

Epidemiology

Fewer than two dozen cases reported

Sites

May be diffuse throughout the colon or segmental (Indian J Surg 2011;73:155)
Can also occur in duodenum (Arch Pathol Lab Med 2008;132:1825)

Clinical features

Patients usually in their third or fourth decade
May undergo intussusception and cause obstruction (Indian J Gastroenterol 2003;22:151)
Some patients may also have neurofibromatosis or gastrointestinal stromal tumors (Leber Magen Darm 1988;18:265)

Case reports

33 year old man with diverticulosis (Dis Colon Rectum 2000;43:1767)

Gross description

Colon may demonstrate polypoid masses of fat covered by normal mucosa or diffuse wall thickening with grey / yellow submucosa

Microscopic (histologic) description

Multifocal or diffuse fatty infiltration of the colonic submucosa, with no evidence of malignancy

Microscopic (histologic) images

Images hosted on other servers:

Lipomatosis (low power)

Lipomatosis (high power)

Differential diagnosis

Mucosal pseudolipomatosis: focal artifactual change resulting from traumatic air influx during endoscopy (Am J Clin Pathol 1985;84:575)

Board review question #1

A patient with diarrhea undergoes colonoscopy and a small whitish plaque is observed and biopsied. Microscopically, the tissue showed a focal region of rounded, empty, vacuolar spaces of varying sizes in the mucosa, infiltrating around the colonic crypts. The visible submucosa is unremarkable. Which of the following is true?

Full body workup for metastatic liposarcoma should be undertaken
This finding is artifactual and can be safely ignored
This patient likely has a glycogen storage disorder
This patient likely has familial multiple lipomatosis
This patient likely has neurofibromatosis

Board review answer #1

B. The finding is mucosal pseudolipomatosis