Femoral epithelioid hemangioendothelioma detected with magnetic resonance imaging and positron emission tomography/computed tomography: A case report

BACKGROUND: Epithelioid hemangioendothelioma (EHE) is an uncommon low-grade aggressive vascular tumor. It can occur in almost all locations, but is rarely encountered in bone. CASE SUMMARY: We report a 23-year-old man who presented with left hip pain with no obvious cause. X-ray revealed bone destruction in the left femoral neck with sclerosis at the edges of the lesions. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) showed bone destruction in the medullary cavity of the left femoral head and neck. (18)F-deoxyglucose-positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) imaging showed bone destruction in the left ischium, acetabulum, and left femoral head neck, accompanied by increased radioactive uptake; the maximum standard uptake value was 4.2. Histopathologic examination revealed spindle-shaped mesenchymal tissue hyperplasia with scattered epithelioid cells. The patient underwent left femoral head replacement surgery. No signs of recurrence were observed as of the 18-mo follow-up. CONCLUSION: The definitive diagnosis of femoral EHE can be established aided by the MRI and PET/CT findings.