A rare case of a calcified glomus tumour in the thigh of an adolescent

Bronchial glomus tumor with calcification: A case report

BACKGROUND

Glomus tumors (GTs), defined by modified smooth cells and normal glomus body cells, usually present with a small mass occurring in the soft tissue or dermis of an extremity, especially in the subungual region. However, other unusual sites, such as the respiratory tract, have also been reported. They are usually sporadic. Their imaging findings are usually nonspecific and likely to appear as a well-delineated round mass that usually lacks calcification. To our knowledge, we report the first case of bronchial GTs with calcification, reminding clinicians and radiologists that GT is one of the differential diagnoses when a calcified nodular mass is found.

CASE SUMMARY

We report a case of a 33-yr-old Chinese man with cough and sputum for 11 d and hemoptysis for 5 d. Chest computed tomography revealed a calcified nodular lesion on the compressed posterior wall of the lower left main bronchus and bronchiectasis in the lower lobe of the left lung. To confirm the characteristics of calcified nodules, we performed fiberoptic bronchoscopy. The tumor tissue from the biopsy of bronchial mucosal lesions established the diagnosis of GT. Because the patient had no life-threatening symptoms, he was not treated with surgery. Clinical follow-up for 25 mo showed that the patient survived well without any discomfort.

CONCLUSION

Bronchial GTs are usually not accompanied by calcification on computed tomography scans. To our knowledge, we report the first calcified bronchial GT. We recommend that clinicians consider GT as a possible differential diagnosis when a calcified mass of the bronchi is found.

Malignant glomus tumor in pleural cavity

Glomus tumors, an uncommon hypervascular tumor, arise from modified smooth muscle cells of the glomus body that plays a significant role in the regulation of skin circulation. The tumors are usually located in the extremities, typically in the subungual region of the fingers. Primary glomus tumors of the chest are extremely rare, and to our knowledge, there are no cases have been described in thoracic cavity to date. We here report a case of intrathoracic glomus tumor in a 31-year-old man who presented with a persistent chest pain. Chest computed tomography scans demonstrated an irregularly shaped mass in the left thorax. Left thoracotomy was performed under the suspicious diagnosis of unexplained thorax tumor, and a tumor located in the left upper portion of thorax was founded. Complete resection of tumor along with the partial structure of chest wall was performed. Postoperative diagnosis was malignant glomus tumor.