Epicardial fat may anteriorly produce an echo-free space that can be mistaken for pericardial fluid. We recently experienced a 67-year-old woman with prominent epicardial fat which was presented as an echogenic tumor-like mass. She underwent open pericardiostomy to relieve large amount of pericardial effusion. Operative findings revealed only prominent epicardial fat. Biopsy of the pericardial and fat tissues revealed an inflammation and normal fat cells without any malignant cell infiltration.
Adipose Tissue/ultrasonography* ; Adipose Tissue/radiography ; Adipose Tissue/pathology ; Aged ; Biopsy ; Case Report ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Echocardiography ; Female ; Heart Neoplasms/diagnosis ; Human ; Pericardial Effusion/etiology ; Pericardial Effusion/diagnosis ; Pericardium/ultrasonography* ; Pericardium/radiography ; Pericardium/pathology

There are a variety of fat-containing lesions that can arise in the intraperitoneal cavity and retroperitoneal space. Some of these fat-containing lesions, such as liposarcoma and retroperitoneal teratoma, have to be resected, although resection can be deferred for others, such as adrenal adenoma, myelolipoma, angiomyolipoma, ovarian teratoma, and lipoma, until the lesions become large or symptomatic. The third group tumors (i.e., mesenteric panniculitis and pseudolipoma of Glisson's capsule) require medical treatment or no treatment at all. Identifying factors such as whether the fat is macroscopic or microscopic within the lesion, the origin of the lesions, and the presence of combined calcification is important for narrowing the differential diagnosis. The development and wide-spread use of modern imaging modalities make identification of these factors easier so narrowing the differential diagnosis is possible. At the same time, lesions that do not require immediate treatment are being incidentally found at an increasing rate with these same imaging techniques. Thus, the questions about the treatment methods have become increasingly important. Classifying lesions in terms of the necessity of performing surgical treatment can provide important information to clinicians, and this is the one of a radiologist's key responsibilities.
Abdominal Fat/pathology/radiography ; Adult ; Aged ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Female ; Humans ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging/methods ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Neoplasms, Adipose Tissue/*pathology/*radiography ; Peritoneal Cavity/pathology/radiography ; Peritoneal Diseases/pathology/radiography ; Peritoneal Neoplasms/*pathology/*radiography ; Retroperitoneal Neoplasms/*pathology/*radiography ; Retroperitoneal Space/pathology/radiography ; Tomography, Spiral Computed/methods ; Young Adult

A subconjunctival orbital fat prolapse is frequently confused with a dermolipoma clinically. These two entities have similar clinical appearances, but are clearly distinct. The clinical features, differential diagnosis, and treatment modalities of subconjunctival orbital fat prolapse and dermolipoma are discussed.
Adipose Tissue/*pathology ; Adult ; Female ; Humans ; Lipoma/*diagnosis ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Orbit/pathology/radiography ; Orbital Diseases/*diagnosis ; Orbital Neoplasms/*diagnosis ; Prolapse

A subconjunctival orbital fat prolapse is frequently confused with a dermolipoma clinically. These two entities have similar clinical appearances, but are clearly distinct. The clinical features, differential diagnosis, and treatment modalities of subconjunctival orbital fat prolapse and dermolipoma are discussed.
Adipose Tissue/*pathology ; Adult ; Female ; Humans ; Lipoma/*diagnosis ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Orbit/pathology/radiography ; Orbital Diseases/*diagnosis ; Orbital Neoplasms/*diagnosis ; Prolapse