Case Report: Cavernous hemangioma of rib: an extremely rare venous malformation but easily misdiagnosed as aggressive tumors

Rib Hemangiomas: Intriguing Findings from a Systematic Review of Rare Thoracic Tumors

Background: Bone hemangiomas are rare benign vascular tumors, comprising less than 1% of all bone tumors. They are predominantly found in the vertebral body or skull; rib hemangiomas are particularly rare and are often misdiagnosed as malignant tumors. Given the high malignancy rate of primary rib tumors, understanding rib hemangiomas is crucial to avoid misdiagnosis. Methods: A systematic review was conducted according to PRISMA standards. A comprehensive literature search was performed in PubMed, EMBASE, Web of Science, and Scopus. Data on patient demographics, tumor characteristics, and clinical presentation were analyzed using STATA/SE 17. Results: From 306 articles, 40 studies including 43 patients met the inclusion criteria. Rib hemangiomas showed a bimodal age distribution, with peaks in patients younger than 30 years (mean age 21.43 ± 5.60 years) and ≥30 years (mean age 59.96 ± 9.70 years). Females were more affected (62.79%) than males (37.21%), with a ratio of 1.69:1. The tumors were most frequently located in mid-thoracic ribs (4-8) and predominantly on the left side of the thorax. The mean tumor size was 7.27 cm, with 76.19% exhibiting osteolytic changes. Clinically, 63.41% of cases were asymptomatic, while symptomatic cases mainly presented with pain. Conclusions: Rib hemangiomas, though rare, should be considered in the differential diagnosis of thoracic tumors. They present as well-demarcated lytic lesions with distinct imaging features, and they typically require complete surgical excision, which may be aided with preoperative embolization. Their accurate diagnosis involves a combination of radiologic and clinical evaluation. Further studies are needed to understand the disease's pathophysiology and to refine diagnostic and treatment protocols.

Treatment of left tenth rib haemangioma vascularised by a costal artery giving the artery of Adamkiewicz

Haemangioma of the ribs is considered an extremely rare benign tumour. Here, we present a case of a young male with left tenth rib haemangioma vascularised by a costal artery giving the artery of Adamkiewicz presented as chronic cough. This was successfully treated through preoperative embolisation and surgical resection. A preoperative angiogram was performed to identify the origin of the artery of Adamkiewicz. The final diagnosis was confirmed histopathologically. There were no complications in the postoperative course and no recurrence during 12 months of follow-up.

Locally Aggressive Rib Hemangioma With Glomeruloid and Papillary Features - Expanding the Clinicopathologic spectrum of Bone Hemangiomas

Intra-osseous hemangiomas are uncommon tumors that can present diagnostic and treatment dilemmas. Bone hemangiomas with papillary and glomeruloid growth patterns are exceptionally rare. We present an example of an intra-osseous hemangioma of the rib displaying aggressive features on both radiology and histology. Morphologically, prominent papillary and glomeruloid architectural patterns were observed, in addition to features of cavernous and capillary hemangiomas. Extensive extra-osseous soft tissue involvement was seen. Awareness of the diverse histological features and locally aggressive behavior of bone hemangiomas is important in avoiding over-interpretation as a malignant lesion.