Bone and Soft-Tissue Disorders
= sequestered noncommunicating lymphoid tissue lined by lymphatic endothelium
Cause: congenital obstruction of lymphatic drainage
Subtypes:
- Capillary lymphangioma (rare)
Location: subcutaneous tissue - Cavernous lymphangioma
Location: about the mouth + tongue - Cystic lymphangioma (most common)
= cystic hygroma
Associated with: hydrops fetalis, Turner syndrome
Location: head, neck (75%), axilla (20%), extension into mediastinum (3–10%)
◊Lymphangiomas are frequently a mixture of subtypes!
Age: found at birth (50–65%); within first 2 years of life (90%)
Location: soft tissue; bone (rare)
- multilocular cystic lesion with fibrous septations
- occasionally serpentine vascular channels
- opacification during lymphangiography / direct puncture
- clear / milky fluid on aspiration
DDx: hemangioma (blood on aspiration)