Skip to main content
Log in

Intraosseous hibernoma

  • Case Report
  • Published:
Skeletal Radiology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

We describe the imaging and pathological features of a rare case of sacral hibernoma that was discovered incidentally in a patient with low back pain. The benign-appearing, small intraosseous lesion in the sacrum was sclerotic on CT. MRI revealed that the lesion was heterogeneously hyperintense on T1W (lower in intensity than subcutaneous fat) and heterogeneously hypointense on fat-saturated T2W and STIR images. It showed mild heterogeneous enhancement on the post-contrast fat-saturated T1 MR images due to increased vascularity. A biopsy of the lesion was performed. The biopsy specimen demonstrated multivacuolated cells with immunohistochemical features of brown adipose tissue consistent with hibernoma.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6

References

  1. Merkel H. On a pseudolipoma of the breast. Beitr Pathol Anat. 1906;39:152–7.

    Google Scholar 

  2. Gery L. In discussion of MF Bonnel’s paper. Bull Mem Soc Anat (Paris). 1914;89:111–2.

    Google Scholar 

  3. Furlong MA, Fanburg-Smith JC, Miettinen M. The morphologic spectrum of hibernoma: a clinicopathologic study of 170 cases. Am J Surg Pathol. 2001;25(6):809–14.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  4. Reyes AR IR, Wilson JD, Desai HS. Intraosseous hibernoma of the femur: an unusual case with a review of the literature (poster #20). College of American Pathologists 2008; 132:3.

    Google Scholar 

  5. Himms-Hagen J. Brown adipose tissue thermogenesis: interdisciplinary studies. FASEB J. 1990;4(11):2890–8.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  6. Ito T, Tanuma Y, Yamada M, Yamamoto M. Morphological studies on brown adipose tissue in the bat and in humans of various ages. Arch Histol Cytol. 1991;54(1):1–39.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  7. Kransdorf MJ, Murphey MD. Lipomatous tumors. In: Imaging of soft tissue tumors. Philadelphia: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins. 1997;77–83.

    Google Scholar 

  8. Eyzaguirre E, Liqiang W, Karla GM, Rajendra K, Alberto A, Gatalica Z. Intraosseous lipoma. A clinical, radiologic, and pathologic study of 5 cases. Ann Diagn Pathol. 2007;11(5):320–5.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  9. Nedergaard J, Bengtsson T, Cannon B. Unexpected evidence for active brown adipose tissue in adult humans. Am J Physiol Endocrinol Metab. 2007;293(2):E444–E452.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  10. Thorns C, Schardt C, Katenkamp D, Kahler C, Merz H, Feller AC. Hibernoma-like brown fat in the bone marrow: report of a unique case. Virchows Arch. 2008;452(3):343–5.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  11. Mugel T, Ghossain MA, Guinet C, Buy J, Bethoux J, Texier P, et al. MR and CT findings in a case of hibernoma of the thigh extending into the pelvis. Eur Radiol. 1998;8(3):476–8.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  12. Dursun M, Agayev A, Bakir B, Ozger H, Eralp L, Sirvanci M, et al. CT and MR characteristics of hibernoma: six cases. Clin Imaging. 2008;32(1):42–7.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  13. Anderson SE, Schwab C, Stauffer E, Banic A, Steinbach LS. Hibernoma: imaging characteristics of a rare benign soft tissue tumor. Skeletal Radiol. 2001;30(10):590–5.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  14. Lee JC, Gupta A, Saifuddin A, Flanagan A, Skinner JA, Briggs TW, et al. Hibernoma: MRI features in eight consecutive cases. Clin Radiol. 2006;61(12):1029–34.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  15. Peer S, Kuhberger R, Dessl A, Judmaier W. MR imaging findings in hibernoma. Skeletal Radiol. 1997;26(8):507.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  16. Subramaniam RM, Clayton AC, Karantanis D, Collins DA. Hibernoma: 18F FDG PET/CT imaging. J Thorac Oncol. 2007;2(6):569–70.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  17. Gaffney EF, Hargreaves HK, Semple E, Vellios F. Hibernoma: distinctive light and electron microscopic features and relationship to brown adipose tissue. Hum Pathol. 1983;14(8):677–87.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  18. Jambhekar NA, Rekhi B, Thorat K, Dikshit R, Agrawal M, Puri A. Revisiting chordoma with brachyury, a “new age” marker: analysis of a validation study on 51 cases. Arch Pathol Lab Med. 2010;134(8):1181–1187.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  19. Lowry WS, Halmos PB. Malignant tumor of brown fat in patient with Turner’s syndrome. Br Med J. 1967;4(5581):720–1.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Rajendra Kumar.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Kumar, R., Deaver, M.T., Czerniak, B.A. et al. Intraosseous hibernoma. Skeletal Radiol 40, 641–645 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00256-010-1079-x

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00256-010-1079-x

Keywords

Navigation