Atypical Presentation of Intestinal Intussusception Caused by Insidious Inflammatory Myofibroblastic Tumor of the Bowel Wall

Abstract

Introduction: Inflammatory myofibroblastic tumor (IMT) is a rare but real tumor, which is histologically characterized by myofibroblastic spindle cells proliferation with inflammatory infiltrate. The lung is the most common affected organ, and extrapulmonary IMTs are less common. However, IMT seldom presents in the gastrointestinal tract, and intussusception is a rare complication of this tumor. Case presentation: We documented this rare case of a 12-year-old Chinese girl presenting with abdominal pain. The clinical and radiologic impression was bowel intussusception and bowel obstruction. No sign of abdominal mass was found before surgery, neither physical examination nor radiologic images. Operative findings revealed intestinal intussusception secondary to a little mass. Histopathlogic evaluation of this mass revealed IMT. Conclusion: In conclusion, IMT may present with bowel intussusception. However, at the intestinal location, the tumor may be found as an abdominal mass or may be insidious; hence, detailed history, physical examination, and imaging studies are necessary for early recognition and diagnosis.