Sonographic findings in intussusception caused by a lipoma in the muscularlayer of the colon

Lipomas of the gastrointestinal tract are uncommon tumors. Almost all gastr ointestinal lipomas are submucosal or subserosal, and most are asymptomatic , although they may cause abdominal pain, bowel obstruction, and gastrointe stinal bleeding. The diagnosis of gastrointestinal lipoma is usually not ma de before surgery. We present a case of colonic intussusception caused by a lipoma that was located in the muscular layer of the colon and was diagnos ed preoperatively by sonography. The descending colon appeared edematous an d thick. There was layering within the lumen of the descending colon, mimic king the target sign. At the distal end of the intussusception, there was a 4.7-cm, hyperechoic, rounded lesion with a smooth margin. Surgery revealed a polypoid mass originating from the splenic flexure and causing intussusc eption of the colon, and pathologic analysis confirmed the diagnosis of lip oma of the muscular layer of the colon. (C) 2001 John Wiley &, Sons, Inc.