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CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 · Indian J Radiol Imaging 2020; 30(02): 233-236
DOI: 10.4103/ijri.IJRI_407_19
Case Report

Pseudotumor deltoideus: An underreported and misinterpreted cause of shoulder pain

Surbhi Singh
Guru Nanak Dev Charitable Hospital, Tarn Tarn, Punjab, India
,
Akhil Tanwar
Guru Nanak Dev Charitable Hospital, Tarn Tarn, Punjab, India
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Abstract

Pseudotumor deltoideus refers to focal cortical irregularity and thickening at the deltoid insertion. It is benign in nature with a possible role as a tumor stimulator and possesses various anatomic variations. A well-defined area of cortical irregularity and radiological lucency at the deltoid insertion are uncommon radiological findings that pose a diagnostic dilemma. In this case report, we demonstrate a 45-year-old male with right shoulder pain along with radiological images indicative of the condition to make this previously less discussed entity more understandable. Cases of shoulder pain along with X-ray findings of cortical thickening in the proximal humerus should be investigated further with computed tomography (CT)/magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Findings of an elongated lucency on CT and T2 hyperintensity in the cortex should help in the correct diagnosis of the condition. It should not be misdiagnosed as infective foci or a malignant entity and biopsy should be avoided.

Keywords

Benign - cortical irregularity - deltoid - humerus - lucency - pseudotumor deltoideus - radiolucent - T1 isointense - T2 hyperintense


Publication History

Received: 02 October 2019

Accepted: 05 March 2020

Article published online:
19 July 2021

© 2020. Indian Radiological Association. This is an open access article published by Thieme under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonDerivative-NonCommercial-License, permitting copying and reproduction so long as the original work is given appropriate credit. Contents may not be used for commercial purposes, or adapted, remixed, transformed or built upon. (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/).

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