OBJECTIVETo analyze the CT/MRI features of Castleman's disease of the abdomen and pelvis.

METHODSCT/MRI images of 6 cases of pathologically confirmed Castleman's disease of the abdomen and pelvis were retrospectively reviewed. All the patients received plain CT scan and dynamic enhanced scan, and one had an additional MR scan.

RESULTSOne case was identified as the disseminated type with multicentric enlarged lymph nodes and hepatosplenomegaly, and 5 cases were found to have localized type, of which 3 had retroperitoneal, 1 had mesentery and 1 had pelvic lesions. On CT scan, all the 5 cases with localized lesions showed single, round or ellipse soft tissue masses, with intra-tumoral calcification in 2 cases, fascial thickening around the mass in 3 cases, and satellite nodules in 4 cases. Enhanced scanning revealed obvious enhancement in the arterial phase and continuous enhancement in the portal vein and delayed phase in all the lesions, with an attenuation pattern similar to that of large vessels; enlarged blood vessels within or around the mass were displayed in each case. In 4 cases, the intra-tumoral radial or fissured non-enhanced areas in early stage of enhancement were gradually filled up as the scan time was delayed. The patient receiving MRI showed hypo-intensity on T(1)WI and hyper-intensity on T(2)WI, presenting with an enhancement feature similar to that of CT.

CONCLUSIONCastleman's disease in the abdomen and pelvis is rare and liable to misdiagnosis, but its characteristic imaging features can help in the diagnosis and differential diagnosis.