Introduction: Soft tissue and muscular involvement in cysticercosis is a relatively rarer presentation.
Materials and methods: Twenty seven histopathologically confirmed cases of soft tissue and muscular cysticercosis were collected and the clinical, radiological data was reviewed.
Results: There was female predominance for the lesions (19 cases among 27 cases). The most common location for the lesion was in the arm (9 cases), thigh (4 cases), forearm (7 cases), abdominal wall (4 cases) followed by nape of the neck (2 cases). Lesion ranged from 8 mm to 5 cm in size. Ultrasound was diagnostic in 24 cases and inconclusive in three cases. Histopathologically, intact cyst wall was noted in 12 cases, scolex in 5 cases. Seven cases showed degenerating cyst wall surrounded by inflammatory cells, granulation tissue and fibrosis.
Conclusion: Fine needle aspiration cytology and histopathological assessment is prudent in the diagnosis of soft tissue and muscular cysticercosis in cases posing clinical diagnostic dilemma.
Keywords: Cytology; Parasitic infection; Scolex; T. Solium.