Kosmetische Medizin 2-2009: 4 – 8

Mesenteric lipodystrophy after paraneoplastic dermatomyositis

UWE WOLLINA AND THOMAS KITTNER

KEY WORDS: Acquired lipodystrophy, dermatomyositis, magnetic resonance imaging

SUMMARY:
A 58-year-old women with a history of paraneoplastic dermatomyositis and breast cancer developed an abdominal swelling while her limbs remained slim. She suffered from non-specific upper abdominal symptoms but laboratory investigations were normal. There was no sign of any metastasis or a liver disease. By magnetic resonance imaging a deep-seated, poorly defined intraabdominal mass was detected with compression of the gut. The diagnosis mesenteric lipodystrophy was made. This acquired type of lipodystrophies is uncommon and not well known. In individual cases, however, it is an important differential diagnosis for intraabdominal cancers and lymphomas.