Image Description
Gross Features: Spindle cell/pleomorphic lipomas are usually well-circumscribed, solitary nodules that are easily demarcated from the surrounding subcutaneous tissues (as seen here). Rare cases, usually arising in women, are located in the dermis and appear infiltrative. Most are < 5 cm in size. The gross appearance depends upon the relative proportion of mature adipose tissue, spindle cell areas and fibromyxoid stroma.
Some tumors resemble ordinary lipomas and are composed largely of yellow adipose tissue with scattered grey-white gelatinous or firm areas corresponding to the spindle cell component. Other cases are devoid of fat (fat-free spindle cell lipomas) and appear grey-white with firm consistency corresponding to the dominant spindle cell component. Tumors with extensive myxoid change have a gelatinous appearance.
Image courtesy of: Bin Xu, MD, Dept. of Pathology, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY; used with permission.
Some tumors resemble ordinary lipomas and are composed largely of yellow adipose tissue with scattered grey-white gelatinous or firm areas corresponding to the spindle cell component. Other cases are devoid of fat (fat-free spindle cell lipomas) and appear grey-white with firm consistency corresponding to the dominant spindle cell component. Tumors with extensive myxoid change have a gelatinous appearance.
Image courtesy of: Bin Xu, MD, Dept. of Pathology, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY; used with permission.