Radiologic misunderstanding of cutaneous angiomyolipoma in the alar base

J Craniofac Surg. 2014 Jul;25(4):e343-4. doi: 10.1097/SCS.0000000000000600.

Abstract

In this article, we will examine a case of cutaneous angiomyolipoma in the right nasal alar base area of a 36-year-old man. Generally, angiomyolipoma occurs in the kidney and, histologically, has features that are similar to cutaneous angiomyolipoma: smooth muscle cells, mature adipose cells, and a convoluted thick-walled blood vessel. Clinically, renal angiomyolipoma is related to tuberous sclerosis, but cutaneous angiomyolipomas occur very rarely, with a total of only 23 cases documented in the literature, with 39% (9/23) of those cases occurring in the ear or surrounding areas. In particular, the abundance of blood vessels inside a cutaneous angiomyolipoma produces good enhancement on computed tomographic image, making it easy for the tumor to be mistaken for a vascular tumor. In this particular case, we will report about a previously unheard case of cutaneous angiomyolipoma occurring in the nasal alar base that was mistaken for a vascular tumor.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Angiomyolipoma / diagnostic imaging*
  • Angiomyolipoma / pathology
  • Angiomyolipoma / surgery
  • Diagnostic Errors
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Nose Neoplasms / diagnostic imaging*
  • Nose Neoplasms / pathology
  • Nose Neoplasms / surgery
  • Skin / pathology
  • Skin Neoplasms / diagnostic imaging*
  • Skin Neoplasms / pathology
  • Skin Neoplasms / surgery
  • Tomography, X-Ray Computed*