[Mesenteric panniculitis simulating malignancy]

ABSTRACT

Panniculitis mesenteritis is a rare, benign, and chronic fibrosing inflammation disease with unknown aetiology that affects the mesentery of small bowel and colon. To report a new case of this entity and to highlight its diagnostic difficulties especially when it affects the mesocolon. A 37 years-old women presented with chronic abdominal pain; physical examination found mass of left ilaca fossa. Closcopy and abdominal CT scan showed a thickness of bowel wall with negative biopsies. The patient underwent a colectomy. Histologic examination concluded to the diagnosis of Mesenteric panniculitis without malignant lesion. Mesenteric panniculitis is a rare pathology which diagnosis is difficult to establish. It can simulate malignancy. A better knowledge of its clinical and radiological features could ovoid unecessary digestive resection