Cystic angiomatosis, pleural effusion and multiple bone lesions mimicking a metastatic malignant neoplasia: a case report

BACKGROUND: We report a case of a patient with a rare clinical condition: cystic angiomatosis presenting as pleural effusion and multiple bone lesions mimicking a metastatic malignant neoplasia. With only about 50 such cases published in the literature, it is important to report the clinical presentation and proposed treatment and to share information about the clinical evolution in these patients. CASE PRESENTATION: We report a case of a 45-year-old white man who presented to our hospital with ventilator-dependent pain. Chest tomography detected pleural effusion and multiple osteolytic bone lesions. Oncologic investigation for metastatic malignant neoplasia was started after exclusion of an infectious process. Imaging examinations revealed diffuse osteolytic lesions as well as cystic lesions of the spleen, with discrete glycolytic hypermetabolism visualized by positron emission tomography. After negative results were obtained by investigation of the primary tumor site and a bone biopsy, a final diagnosis of cystic angiomatosis was made. CONCLUSIONS: In view of the fact that cystic angiomatosis is a heterogeneous disorder of unpredictable prognosis and uncertain treatment, it is necessary to disseminate new cases so that further studies may be undertaken to obtain further physiopathological findings and an effective treatment.