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Highlights & Basics
- Lipomas are benign tumors composed of adipose tissue.
- They can occur in any area of the body, although they are most frequently found on the trunk or proximal limbs. They are most commonly found in subcutaneous tissues.
- Lipomas may occur in deeper body cavities and within/adjacent to such organs as the gastrointestinal tract, adrenal glands, parotid glands, parapharyngeal space, breast, mediastinum, pleura, airways, heart, superior vena cava, brain, and intraspinal areas.
- Cutaneous lipomas are usually soft, mobile, and superficial.
- Lipomas have no malignant potential. However, the differential diagnosis of liposarcoma should be carefully considered.
Quick Reference
History & Exam
Key Factors
Other Factors
Diagnostics Tests
Treatment Options
Definition
Epidemiology
Etiology
Pathophysiology
Images
Subcutaneous lipoma on the trunk
Gastric submucosal lipoma, CT scan. Submucosal antral mass with fatty density throughout.
Gastric submucosal lipoma, upper GI contrast study. Filling defect in the distal antrum and pyloric channel suggesting antral mass prolapsing into pyloric channel
Gastric submucosal lipoma. A nodule of mature adipose tissue is present subjacent to gastric mucosa. Hematoxylin and eosin, 20x magnification
Angiolipoma. Mature adipose tissue with foci of endothelial proliferation containing microvascular thrombi. Hematoxylin and eosin, 200x magnification
Spindle cell lipoma. Mature adipose tissue with intervening strands of dense fibrosis with spindle cell areas and characteristic ropey collagen bundles. Hematoxylin and eosin, 200x magnification
Intramuscular lipoma, right thigh. MRI, axial, T1-weighted image. Lipomatous mass in the anterior aspect of the right thigh
Intramuscular lipoma, right thigh. MRI, coronal, T1-weighted image. Lipomatous mass in the anterior aspect of the right thigh
Intramuscular lipoma of subscapularis muscle, CT scan. Right axillary soft-tissue fatty mass with well-circumscribed margins
Intramuscular lipoma. Mature adipose tissue insinuating between skeletal muscle bundles. Hematoxylin and eosin, 200x magnification
Citations
Primary Care Dermatology Society. Lipoma. Nov 2021 [internet publication].[Full Text]
Noebauer-Huhmann IM, Weber MA, Lalam RK, et al. Soft tissue tumors in adults: ESSR-approved guidelines for diagnostic imaging. Semin Musculoskelet Radiol. 2015 Dec;19(5):475-82.[Abstract]
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