Subcutaneous and musculoskeletal sparganosis: imaging characteristics and pathologic correlation.

Objective: To document the imaging characteristics of subcutaneous and musculoskeletal sparganosis.

Methods: Ten patients with musculoskeletal sparganosis were examined, with a variety of imaging modalities including MRI (n=6), ultrasonography (n=8), plain radiography (n=7) and CT (n=1). Pathologic correlation was carried out in all cases.

Results: Nine lesions involved soft tissues, of which seven were in the thigh, two in the trunk and one involved a vertebral body. The majority of the lesions in soft tissue were confined to the subcutaneous layer but two extended deep into underlying muscles. Sonography revealed low-echoic serpiginous tubular tracts (8/8), and an intraluminal echogenic structure (4/8). MRI revealed multiple serpiginous tubular tracts and peripheral rim enhancement. Two patients showed perilesional soft tissue edema. Pathologically, the lesion consisted of a larva surrounded by three layers of inflammation: an inner epithelioid granulomatous cell layer, middle chronic inflammatory cell layers, and an outer fibrous layer.

Conclusions: The study suggests that if serpiginous tubular tracts are seen at imaging studies, musculoskeletal sparganosis should be included in the differential diagnosis.