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Mesenteric panniculitis

Case contributed by Dana Alnuaimi
Diagnosis almost certain

Presentation

Presented with abdominal pain. Previous history of abdominal trauma.

Patient Data

Age: 26
Gender: Male
ct

A well-defined mesenteric mass-like lesion is seen with misty fat attenuation involving the small bowel mesentery. Few small lymph nodes are also observed.

Simple liver cyst .

Mild ascites in the right paracolic gutter and pelvis.

Case Discussion

Mesenteric panniculitis is an uncommon chronic non-specific inflammatory process of the mesenteric fat.It commonly appears as a well defined or ill-defined mass-like ground glass opacity . Small lymph nodes are usually present with punctate calcification seen in the misty mesentery. Traversing mesenteric vessels and soft tissue nodules show a spared fat halo often referred to as fat ring sign .

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