Citation, DOI, disclosures and article data
Citation:
Fang R, Thibodeau R, Bell D, et al. Colonic lipoma. Reference article, Radiopaedia.org (Accessed on 22 Mar 2025) https://radiopaedia.org/articles/190310
Colonic lipomas (rarer plural: lipomata) are benign non-epithelial adipocytic tumors and a location-specific subtype of gastrointestinal lipomas.
Colonic lipomas are rare, with an estimated frequency between 0.2 and 4.4%. They are seen more frequently in women aged between 40 and 70 years 1,2.
They are often small and asymptomatic but can grow in size and have been reported to cause various symptoms such as abdominal pain, hematochezia, palpable mass, changes in bowel movement and/or weight loss. These tumors are of clinical concern because they can mimic malignancy.
Complications
If they are large enough, large bowel lipomas can cause intussusception or colonic obstruction 1,3.
Location
Within the colonic wall, approximately 90% are in a submucosal location with the remaining 10% having an intramural or subserosal origin 1.
The majority of these tumors have been reported in the ascending colon 1 although the ones located in the transverse colon or sigmoid colon seem more likely to cause intussusception 1.
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CT
Colonic lipomas are seen as well-circumscribed, homogenous masses with fat density.
History and etymology
Colonic lipomas were first reported by Bauer in 1757 5-8 in his 'Epistola de mois intestinorum' 8.
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1. Menegon Tasselli F, Urraro F, Sciaudone G et al. Colonic Lipoma Causing Bowel Intussusception: An Up-To-Date Systematic Review. J Clin Med. 2021;10(21):5149. doi:10.3390/jcm10215149 - Pubmed
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2. Ozen O, Guler Y, Yuksel Y. Giant Colonic Lipoma Causing Intussusception: CT Scan and Clinical Findings. Pan Afr Med J. 2019;32:27. doi:10.11604/pamj.2019.32.27.18040 - Pubmed
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3. Aassouani F, Bassim Alami G, Charifi Y et al. Sigmoid Lipoma as an Exceptional Cause of Intussusception and Bowel Obstruction in Adults: A Case Report and Review of Literature. Radiol Case Rep. 2022;17(10):3955-8. doi:10.1016/j.radcr.2022.07.088 - Pubmed
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4. Bardají M, Roset F, Camps R, Sant F, Fernández-Layos M. Symptomatic Colonic Lipoma: Differential Diagnosis of Large Bowel Tumors. Int J Colorectal Dis. 1998;13(1):1-2. doi:10.1007/s003840050122 - Pubmed
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5. Vecchio R, Ferrara M, Mosca F, Ignoto A, Latteri F. Lipomas of the Large Bowel. Eur J Surg. 1996;162(11):915-9. - Pubmed
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6. Panagiotakis G, Andreou A, Petrakis I, Tzardi M, Daskalogiannaki M, Chalkiadakis G. Laparoscopic Resection of a Sigmoid Colon Lipoma in a Young Female Patient: A Case Report and Review of the Literature. Oncol Lett. 2017;13(3):1303-6. doi:10.3892/ol.2017.5594 - Pubmed
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7. Ryan J, Martin J, Pollock D. Fatty Tumours of the Large Intestine: A Clinicopathological Review of 13 Cases. Br J Surg. 1989;76(8):793-6. doi:10.1002/bjs.1800760809 - Pubmed
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8. Long G, Dockerty M, Waugh J. Lipoma of the Colon. Surg Clin North Am. 1949;29(4):1233-43. doi:10.1016/s0039-6109(16)32802-x
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