Angioleiomyoma in the head and neck region / 中国耳鼻咽喉头颈外科

ABSTRACT

[A BSTR ACT] OB J ECTI V E To i mprove the recognization of clinical, imaging and pathological characteristics of angioleiomyoma (ALM) in the head and neck region. METHODS We retrospectively reviewed the data of 20 patients with ALM in the head and neck region between 2000 and 2012. RESULTS Seven male and 13 female patients were included in this study. The average age was 52.5 (from 28 to 74 years). The symptom in most cases (n=14) was the painless mass, 4 tumors originating in the nasal cavity presented with nasal obstruction or (and) epistaxis, and the other 3 cases were accidentally found by physical examination. The results of B-ultrasonography in 10 ALM cases of subcutaneous or deep space were homogeneously hypoechoic echo texture, straight and linear vessels in the tumor with convergence to one point with a circumscribed margin. MRI in 5 cases demonstrated typically a well-defined mass, which showed hypointensity or isointensity to muscle on T1WI, and heterogeneous hyperintensity on T2WI. All lesions showed obviously delayed enhancement on contrast MRI. HE stain showed that the tumors were formed by bundles of spindle-shape smooth muscle cells circumscribing numerous slit-like blood vessels in most cases. Immunoperoxidase staining revealed that the tumor cells were strongly positive for calponin, desmin and smooth muscle actin (SMA) in the cytoplasm of the smooth muscle cells. The positive expression of progestogen receptor and estrogen receptor was seen in 7 cases and 4 cases respectively among 10 cases. All patients underwent surgery, and recovered well postoperatively without recurrence or malignancy. CONCLUSION The clinical manifestations of ALM are nonspecific. ALM has distinctive imaging features in B-ultrasonic and MRI examination. Histological examination and immunoperoxidase staining can make a definite diagnosis of the disease. Progestogen receptor and estrogen receptor can be expressed in ALM. The postoperative prognosis is good.