Cystic lymphangioma of the pancreas mimicking pancreatic pseudocyst

Lymphangiomas are rare congenital benign tumors arising from the lymphatic system, and are mostly encountered in the neck and axillary regions of pediatric patients (95%). Lymphangioma of the pancreas is extremely rare accounting for less than 1% of these tumors. We report here on a case of pancreatic cystic lymphangioma. A 54-year-old woman presented with intermittent postprandial abdominal discomfort and radiating back pain. Abdominal computed tomography scan revealed 8 × 6.5 cm hypodense cystic mass arising from the tail of the pancreas without septa or solid component. The initial impression was a pancreatic pseudocyst. The patient underwent distal pancreatectomy with splenectomy. The histopathologic and immunohistochemical study helped make the diagnosis of a pancreatic cystic lymphangioma. Herein, we report a case of pancreatic cystic lymphangioma mimicking pancreatic pseudocyst and review the relevant medical literature.