Renal capsular leiomyoma: report of a case with unusual CT appearance

Abstract

Clinically symptomatic renal capsular leiomyomas are rare. Previous research has shown that these tumors are usually well-defined cystic lesions, solid lesions, or a mixture of the two. We report an unusual case of renal capsular leiomyoma which was well defined by ultrasonography, but lacked a well-defined edge in CT. The reason for the absence of a well-defined tumor edge is probably due to degeneration in certain parts of the tumor resulting in a different degree of enhancement. Thus, the possibility of renal capsular leiomyoma should be included in the differential diagnosis whenever a renal mass is found, especially when either CT or ultrasonography shows that the tumor has a smooth, well-defined contour.