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Extramedullary haematopoiesis - presacral mass

Case contributed by Abanindu Thakur , 27 Aug 2021
Diagnosis almost certain
Changed by Bálint Botz, 4 Dec 2021

Updates to Case Attributes

Body was changed:

In this patient, a known case of thalassemia major, the lobulated presacral mass 3 arising from sacral bone appears to be due to extramedullary hematopoiesis. It typically occurs in paraspinal location 1 (as in this case). Lesion shows attenuation in CT greater than that of a skeletal muscle, and markedly low signal on MRI on both T1-weighted and T2-weighted images, owing to massive iron deposition 1, a sequela of repeated blood transfusions. 

In the differential diagnosis of soft-tissue retroperitoneal masses, the low signal intensity on T2- weighted images is in favor of extramedullary hematopoiesis 2.

Very low signal on both T1-weighted and T2-weighted images of visualized skeleton is also a consequence of massive bone marrow iron deposition.

  • -<p>In this patient, a known case of <a href="/articles/thalassemia">thalassemia</a> major, the lobulated presacral mass <sup>3 </sup>arising from sacral bone appears to be due to <a href="/articles/extramedullary-haematopoiesis">extramedullary hematopoiesis</a>. It typically occurs in paraspinal location <sup>1</sup> (as in this case). Lesion shows attenuation in CT greater than that of a skeletal muscle, and markedly low signal on MRI on both T1-weighted and T2-weighted images, owing to massive iron deposition <sup>1</sup>, a sequela of repeated blood transfusions. </p><p>In the differential diagnosis of soft-tissue retroperitoneal masses, the low signal intensity on T2- weighted images is in favor of <a href="/articles/extramedullary-haematopoiesis">extramedullary hematopoiesis</a> <sup>2</sup>.</p><p>Very low signal on both T1-weighted and T2-weighted images of visualized skeleton is also a consequence massive bone marrow iron deposition.</p>
  • +<p>In this patient, a known case of <a href="/articles/thalassemia">thalassemia</a> major, the lobulated presacral mass <sup>3 </sup>arising from sacral bone appears to be due to <a href="/articles/extramedullary-haematopoiesis">extramedullary hematopoiesis</a>. It typically occurs in paraspinal location <sup>1</sup> (as in this case). Lesion shows attenuation in CT greater than that of a skeletal muscle, and markedly low signal on MRI on both T1-weighted and T2-weighted images, owing to massive iron deposition <sup>1</sup>, a sequela of repeated blood transfusions. </p><p>In the differential diagnosis of soft-tissue retroperitoneal masses, the low signal intensity on T2- weighted images is in favor of <a href="/articles/extramedullary-haematopoiesis">extramedullary hematopoiesis</a> <sup>2</sup>.</p><p>Very low signal on both T1-weighted and T2-weighted images of visualized skeleton is also a consequence of massive bone marrow iron deposition.</p>

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