A case of head and neck kaposiform hemangioendothelioma simulating a malignancy on imaging

Abstract

Kaposiform hemangioendothelioma (KH) is an endothelial-derived spindle cell neoplasm often associated with Kasabach-Merritt syndrome. Most cases arise in infancy and childhood and are soft-tissue tumors. The tumor displays an appearance between capillary hemangioma and Kaposi's sarcoma. We report a case of KH in a 1-year-old girl involving a mass that showed abnormal enhancement of soft tissue superficial to the right temporal bone with partial destruction of the temporal bone, the temporomandibular joint, mandibular condyle, and occipital bone. The physical finding of a discolored mass led clinicians to consider a hemangiomatous lesion, whereas the radiological picture suggested a more aggressive diagnosis of rhabdomyosarcoma and aggressive fibromatosis.