Undiagnosed Intra-articular Synovial Hemangioma: A Rare Cause of Knee Pain and Swelling.

INTRODUCTION: Synovial hemangioma is a benign soft-tissue tumor of vascular origin. Hemangioma only accounts for 1% of all bone lesions and is mostly an incidental finding among the primary skeleton tumors. A delay in diagnosis results in joint degeneration and osteoarthritic damage because of infiltrating tumor growth. CASE PRESENTATION: We presented a rare case of an intra-articular synovial hemangioma in a 13- year-old pediatric patient who was asymptomatic for 5 years. She attended orthopedics OPD at AIIMS, Mangalagiri. Surgical excision of the mass and partial synovectomy was done. Synovial hemangioma came out to be the diagnosis following a histologic study. CONCLUSION: As radiography has limited diagnostic ability, synovial hemangiomas are difficult and challenging to identify on an outpatient basis. Histological examination and magnetic resonance imaging are extremely helpful. To minimize the hemarthrosis risks, early complete excision can be used as the best treatment modality.

Two Discrete Intra-articular Synovial Hemangiomas of a Knee Joint Presenting as Chronic Knee Pain.

Introduction: Synovial hemangioma (SH) is a rare benign soft-tissue tumor of vascular origin. That can be extraarticular, juxta-articular, or intraarticular. The knee joint is the most common joint involved. Symptoms can be variable and diagnosis can be made using magnetic resonance imaging. Differentials can be ruled out by biopsy and the gold standard treatment is complete excision of the lesion. Case Report: A 20-year-old male presented to outpatient clinic with a chief complaint of right-sided anterior knee pain for 2 years aggravated for 2 months. Ultrasonography and magnetic resonance imaging showed two discrete intra-articular lesions. The lesion was hypointense on T1W and hyperintense on T2W and STIR sequence that was enhancing on contrast. There were adjoining dilated vessels. With a provisional diagnosis of hemangioma, FNAC was done and then complete excision was done using a medial parapatellar arthrotomy. The patient is doing well at 1-year follow-up. Conclusion: Knee joint SH is a rare presentation to orthopedic outdoors and has slight female predominance with pre-existing history of trauma. In the present study, both cases were of patella-femoral type (anterior and infra-patellar fat pad). For such lesions, en bloc excision is the gold standard procedure to prevent recurrence, same procedure was followed in our study, and good functional outcome was achieved.

Knee joint pain caused by synovial hemangioma: A case report.

INTRODUCTION AND IMPORTANCE: Knee joint synovial hemangioma is an uncommon condition primarily characterized by knee pain, often accompanied by other symptoms. This report presents a case of knee joint synovial hemangioma to enhance understanding of this condition. CASE PRESENTATION: An 18-year-old male patient sought medical attention due to unexplained knee pain. Physical examination revealed noticeable tenderness points in the knee joint. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) confirmed the presence of an internal knee bump. Arthroscopic surgery resulted in the complete resolution of symptoms. CLINICAL DISCUSSION: Knee joint synovial hemangioma is a rare ailment, and its relatively inconspicuous symptoms can lead to misdiagnosis, delayed treatment, or even overlooked cases. Therefore, it is crucial for healthcare professionals, especially young doctors, to be familiar with the distinctive attributes of this infrequent disorder in order to aid patients in regaining their normal lives. CONCLUSIONS: When encountering patients with unexplained knee pain, medical practitioners should consider the possibility of knee joint synovial hemangioma. Early identification and treatment are essential for prompt recovery and optimal outcomes for patients.

Radiological and pathological characteristics of synovial hemangioma of the knee.

Synovial hemangioma, a rare benign tumor that occurs most frequently in the knee in children and young adults, has four histological subtypes: Venous, arteriovenous, cavernous and capillary hemangiomas. Since the clinical presentation and radiological findings of synovial hemangioma are non-specific, there is frequently a long period between the onset and the diagnosis. The cases of nine patients, pathologically diagnosed with synovial hemangioma and surgically treated, were retrospectively analyzed. All nine patients had persistent knee pain. In addition, three patients also had a swollen knee with intra-articular hemorrhage. Plain radiography revealed intra-articular phleboliths in two patients. In seven patients, T1-weighted magnetic resonance imaging showed low signal intensity with small signal voids. On T2-weighted imaging, all patients showed high signal intensity containing small signal voids. All patients underwent surgical excision; there was no postoperative recurrence after the final operation, and the knee pain had disappeared at the final follow-up. From the pathological findings, the diagnoses were venous hemangioma, cavernous hemangioma and capillary hemangioma (three patients each).

Intra-articular Neoplasms and Masslike Lesions of the Knee: Emphasis on MR Imaging.

Intra-articular masses affecting the knee joint are uncommon lesions that encompass a range of neoplastic and nonneoplastic disorders. A joint mass limited to a single articulation is most commonly related to neoplastic or focal proliferative disease, whereas masses affecting multiple articulations are typically caused by underlying inflammatory arthritides, metabolic abnormalities, or systemic deposition disorders. This article focuses on those masses that present in a monoarticular fashion, emphasizing the lesions that most commonly affect the knee joint. MR imaging is the modality of choice for evaluation of knee masses, allowing specific diagnosis in most cases.

Recurrent Intra-articular Synovial Hemangioma - A Case Report.

Introduction: Synovial hemangioma is a rare benign condition that is seen predominantly in the adolescent age group. Patients commonly present with pain and swelling of the involved joint. Here, we report a case of recurrent synovial hemangioma in a 10-year-old girl. Case Report: A 10-year old presented with complaints of recurrent swelling in her right knee of 3 years duration. She had complaints of pain, swelling, and deformity of her right knee. She had undergone a surgery to excise the swelling earlier for similar complaints elsewhere. She remained asymptomatic for a year, after which swelling reappeared. Conclusion: Synovial hemangioma is a rare benign condition that is often missed and needs to be promptly addressed to prevent damage to the articular cartilage. The chance of recurrence is high.

Synovial Hemangioma Presenting as Anterior Knee Pain - A Case Series.

Introduction: Synovial hemangioma is a benign soft-tissue tumor of vascular origin. The knee joint is most common joint affected and with highest incidence noted till date. For diagnosis, of such rare presentation radiological investigations such as digital radiograph and magnetic resonance imaging are of utmost importance, and magnetic resonance imaging being considered as investigation of choice. The gold standard treatment being complete excision of the growth. Case 1: A 13-year-old boy presented in out-patient clinic with chief complaint of right sided anterior knee pain since 10 months and patient had history of trauma in past. Magnetic resonance imaging of knee joint showed well circumscribed lesion in infra-patellar area (Hoffa's fat pad), with internal septations present within lesion. Case 2: A 25-year-old female presented to out-patient clinic with chief complaint of left sided anterior knee pain since 2 year, with no history of prior injury. The magnetic resonance imaging of knee joint showed ill-defined lesion around anterior patella-femoral articulation adherent to quadriceps tendon, internal septations present within lesion. For both cases, en bloc excision was performed and good functional outcome was achieved. Conclusion: Knee joint synovial hemangioma is rare presentation to orthopedic outdoors, has slight female predominance with pre-existing history of trauma. In the present study, both cases were of patella-femoral type (anterior and infra-patellar fat pad). For such lesions, en bloc excision is gold standard procedure to prevent recurrence, same procedure was followed in our study, and good functional outcome was achieved.

Intra-articular venous malformations of the knee: a diagnostic challenge.

BACKGROUND: Intra-articular venous malformations (IAVM) are rare benign vascular anomalies that usually affect young patients and most common locate in the knee. The terminology of these lesions is still ill-defined, as they are often termed in the literature as synovial hemangiomas. Early diagnosis can be difficult, because they usually present with nonspecific clinical manifestations that are similar those of other rheumatic diseases, especially juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA). CASE SERIES: We conducted a retrospective analysis of five pediatric patients admitted to our units for recurrent swelling of the knee, and compared their characteristics with those of literature reports. The average age at first symptom and time from onset to diagnosis was 3.9 years (range 18 months-7 years) and 3.5 years (range 1-7 years), respectively. In our patients, an initial misdiagnosis of JIA, bleeding disorder or traumatic arthropathy was made. On MRI imaging, the features of the lesion were similar in all patients, and were marked by isointense-to-hypointense signal in T1-weighted images, and hyperintense signal in T2-weighted images. When performed, arthrocentesis led to aspiration of bloody fluid. The diagnosis was confirmed with a biopsy and histopathologic assessment in all patients. Open surgery enabled complete excision of the mass and was followed by stable remission over time in all cases. CONCLUSIONS: Our report highlights the challenges that may be posed by the detection of knee IAVM and the frequent long delay between onset of symptoms and diagnosis. The key elements for early recognition include careful assessment of patient history, demonstration of bloody fluid on arthrocentesis, and proper interpretation of MRI scanning.

Intra-articular Synovial Hemangioma: A Rare Cause of Knee Pain and Swelling.

Synovial hemangioma is a rare intra articular lesion and it has several more common differentials. Therefore, our main objective is to consider the possibility of hemangioma in any intra-articular mass to prevent diagnostic delay of unnoticed or untreated hemangioma occurring within the knee joint. Ultrasound can be useful method in assessing the lesions. Surgical excision is the definitive treatment for such lesions.

Synovial Hemangioma of the Wrist With Cystic Invasion of Trapezoid and Capitate Bones.

Synovial hemangiomas (SHs) are rare lesions of the joints or tendon sheaths that are difficult to diagnose. We present the case of an 18-year-old man with an SH in the wrist joint. Physical examination revealed a slightly tender, ill-defined, nonpulsatile soft mass, 3 cm × 3 cm in size on the dorsal aspect of the left wrist. Computed tomography showed an irregular, ill-defined, soft tissue mass in the expanded joint space, which was formed by the scaphoid, trapezoid, and capitate bones. Magnetic resonance imaging showed the typical features of SH and also revealed cavitary erosion of the scaphoid, trapezoid, and capitate bones. An open arthrotomy was performed via a dorsal approach, and the mass was excised. The histological examination findings were consistent with the diagnosis of SH.

Undiagnosed synovial hemangioma of the knee: a case report.

BACKGROUND: Synovial hemangioma of the knee is a rare benign tumor. Very rarely, the growth of bone is affected by long-term neglect of an intra-articular tumor. Our patient had not only various clinical symptoms but also dysplasia of the femoral bone. In this report, we aimed to raise awareness to prevent various disorders arising from an unnoticed or untreated hemangioma occurring within the knee joint. CASE PRESENTATION: Our patient was a 41-year-old Japanese man who had had occasional discomfort in the right knee since elementary school. Although he had undergone radiography at several hospitals since childhood, no issues were reported; subsequently, he consulted our hospital. We performed magnetic resonance imaging and discovered a mass. The mass was homogeneous with low intensity on T1-weighted sequences and high intensity on T2-weighted sequences adjacent to the medial femoral condyle. The shape of the medial femoral condyle presented with a concavity in axial images, with irregular margins from the patellofemoral joint to the medial femoral condyle. Moreover, by using magnetic resonance angiography, we discovered a second mass. We decided to perform open surgery to achieve complete excision. Histological examination indicated a synovial hemangioma involving a cavernous hemangioma and irregular arteriovenous connections originating from the subsynovial tissue. The patient became asymptomatic after surgery, with no recurrence for more than 4 years. CONCLUSIONS: Synovial hemangioma is rare and difficult to diagnose in outpatient examinations because radiography has a limited diagnostic capacity. Magnetic resonance imaging and angiography are very useful. Nontreatment of intra-articular hemangiomas may lead to dysplasia of the bone and various clinical symptoms. Early complete excision may be instituted to reduce these risks of hemarthrosis.

Synovial hemangioma of the knee joint in pediatrics: our case series and review of literature.

BACKGROUND: Synovial hemangioma is a benign intra-articular tumor. This condition is rare and unfamiliar soft tissue tumor to most orthopedic surgeons. Delayed diagnosis causes osteoarthritic damage and the destruction of joint structures due to infiltrating tumor growth. We discuss the patterns of tumor location and the appropriate surgical procedure for this condition. METHODS: Ten patients were treated surgically in our department. These comprised five males and five females ranging in age from 0 to 17 years (average age 12.4 years). Preoperative diagnosis was made using clinical findings, plain radiographs and magnetic resonance imaging. The follow-up time after surgery was at least 3 years. RESULTS: The main symptom was pain. Three cases revealed hemarthrosis. The range of motion of the affected knee joint was limited in five cases. The average time between onset of pain and diagnosis was 3 years. Tumor location was classified into three patterns: (1) anterior patellofemoral joint type in five, (2) posterior popliteal type in two and (3) diffuse proliferation type in two. Open arthrotomy with synovectomy was performed in all cases. No tumor recurrences were experienced after a minimum follow-up of 3 years. CONCLUSION: Clinical symptom and magnetic resonance imaging are helpful to obtain the diagnosis and determine the extent of the lesion. Depending on the tumor location, synovial hemangioma in the knee joint can be classified into patellofemoral, popliteal and diffuse types. Open arthrotomy with sufficient tumor and synovectomy is important to prevent tumor recurrence.

Articular abnormalities that may mimic arthritis.

There are numerous abnormalities that present with similar signs and symptoms to arthritis. In this article some of these conditions that can masquerade as arthritis are discussed. Synovial osteochondromatosis is an uncommon benign disorder marked by the metaplastic proliferation of multiple cartilaginous nodules in the synovial membrane of the joints, bursae, or tendon sheaths. Pigmented villonodular synovitis, also known as diffuse-type tenosynovial giant cell tumor, is a locally destructive fibrohistiocytic proliferation, characterized by many villous and nodular synovial protrusions which affects the joints. Synovial hemangioma is a rare benign lesion whose pathogenesis is still unclear. It commonly affects the knee joint, although the other articulations, such as elbow, wrist, and ankle may also be involved. Lipoma arborescens, also known as villous lipomatous proliferation of the synovial membrane, is a rare intra-articular disorder characterized by a non-neoplastic lipomatous proliferation of the synovium. The term "arborescens" refers to the characteristic tree-like morphology of the lesion, which resembles a frond-like mass.

Synovial hemangiomas of wrist and ankle joint: A report of two rare cases.

Synovial hemangioma is a rare, benign, vascular tumor of synovium leading to joint pain and swelling. The most common site is the knee joint, but rare cases involving other sites have also been reported. We report two rare cases of synovial hemangioma, one involving the ankle joint and other involving the wrist joint. Histopathology is the gold standard for diagnosis of these cases. Early treatment is warranted to prevent the risk of permanent joint damage.

Synovial Hemangioma of the Knee Management and Excellent Outcome 2 Years after Arthroscopic Synovectomy in a 25-year-old Male with a 20-year History.

INTRODUCTION: Synovial hemangioma is a rare condition with <200 published case reports in world literature and is frequently misdiagnosed, leading to diagnostic delay of many years. This delay is even more significant if the patient comes from a rural background with a dearth of medical facilities in the area. This case had a lag of nearly 20 years from the time of onset of symptoms and the required management which is the maximum reported for any synovial hemangioma since most of them have been found and treated in adolescents. CASE REPORT: We present a case of an atypical synovial hemangioma in a 25-year-old Indian male from a poor socioeconomic background with a delay of 20 years who had both recurrent knee effusions and long-standing knee pain but kept ignoring his symptoms. It was managed by arthroscopic synovectomy. The patient reported to us after 2 years after the surgery with a painless knee and full range of movement. CONCLUSION: Synovial hemangioma mostly affects the knee joint, showing recurrent bloody effusions without a history of trauma. If there are no intermittent effusions, the diagnosis will be even more difficult. In cases of non-specific symptoms and long-standing knee pain of many years, the diagnosis of a synovial hemangioma should also be considered. In this particular case, magnetic resonance imaging was used to evaluate the patient after the plain radiographs and showed characteristic lace-like or linear patterns. Diagnostic arthroscopy and surgical excision were done in the same sitting, and biopsy was sent to the histopathology laboratory which confirmed our diagnosis. Although this patient had the disease since 20 years and presented late, he had little degeneration of cartilage at the time of arthroscopy. The functional outcome at 2-year follow-up was excellent, and he had no disability, effusion and was pain free.

[Diagnosis and therapy of benign intraarticular tumors]. / Diagnostik und Therapie benigner intraartikulärer Tumoren.

Intraarticular benign tumors are rare lesions in many cases seen as incidental findings. One of the typical lesions is the diffuse or nodular form of pigmented villonodular synovitis, which needs a complete surgical removal. Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) is diagnostic in most of the cases because of the intracellular iron content which shows an at least in some parts dark T2-sequence. Adjuvant therapies as radiosynoviorthesis should be considered in diffuse or recurrent lesions. Synovial Chondromatosis represents a metaplastic disorder of the synovial membrane resulting in the production of loose cartilage bodies. Also in this dissease synovectomy or, in late cases, removal of the loose bodies only, is recommended. Synovial hemangiomas are hamartomas which may lead to pain or restriction of movement. In these cases total or partial resection is justified. Alternative treatment options such as laserablation may be possible. Lipoma arborescens represents a proliferative lipoid lesion of the subsynovial region leading to villonodular synovial proliferation. If clinically symptomatic, resection by arthroscopic or open synovectomy is recommented.

The value of MRI in diagnosis of synovial hemangioma / 实用放射学杂志

Objective To evaluate the MRI findings of synovial hemangioma.Methods Twenty-three patients with synovial hemangioma were analyzed retrospectively,and MRI characteristics were summarized.Results Of the 23 patients,there were localized type in 6 and diffuse type in 17.Localized tumors located in the articular synovial tissue and didn't invade articular capsule and peripheral tissues.T hey had envelope,well-defined margin and regular shape.5 cases showed heterogeneous signal with iso-intense or hypo-intense on T1WI,hyper-intense and internal patchy or multiple pinstripe hypo-intense on T2WI and fat-suppression sequence.Diffuse tumors distributed inside and outside the articulation,and invaded the articular capsule or peripheral tissues.17 cases were heterogeneous signal with iso-intense or hypo-intense and internal patchy or sinuous hyper-intense on T1WI,hyper-intense and internal patchy,nodular and multiple pinstripe hypo-intense on T2WI and fat-suppression sequence.Thick flow void of the vessels were showed in 6 cases and phlebolithes were showed in 3 cases.15 cases underwent contrast-enhanced scan,and the tumors showed patchy,nodular or tortuous vascular heterogeneous enhancement with internal patchy,nodular or cord-like non-enhanced areas.Conclusion Fatty-fibrous tissues and flow void of the vessels in the tumor are valuable MRI features for diagnosis of the synovial hemangioma.

Recurred Multiple Intraarticular Synovial Hemangioma of the Knee: Case Report / 대한정형외과연구학회지

Synovial hemangioma is a rare benign intraarticular tumor. Synovial hemangioma of the knee joint has unspecific symptoms, which are pain, limitation of motion and hemarthrosis, often seen as an internal derangement of the knee. A 24-year-old woman presented with intermittent joint effusion and pain of the left knee joint and physical examination revealed slight atrophy of the quadriceps and tenderness around lateral joint line of knee. The patient was performed arthroscopic surgery due to synovial hemangioma about 17-years ago. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) showed the synovial hemangioma from Hoffa fat pad to anterior aspect of lateral meniscus, and thus surgical treatment was planned. Arthroscopic excision was performed and additional lesion was observed in lateral gutter, suprapatellar pouch of the knee. The biopsy confirmed the diagnosis of synovial hemangiomas. After 3 year, the patient was completely asymptomatic and showed no signs of recurrence.