Abstract
RATIONALE: Anastomosing hemangioma (AH) is a rare variant of hemangioma that was proposed in 2020. It is primarily located in the genitourinary tract, though it can occasionally be found in the retroperitoneum. Typically, classic hemangiomas exhibit a red cavernous appearance on the cut surface. This case presents a retroperitoneal AH characterized by marked fatty changes, displaying gross features that differ significantly from those of conventional hemangiomas. This rare variant of hemangioma is rarely reported. PATIENT CONCERNS: A 59-year-old Chinese female patient was discovered to have an anechoic nodule located beneath the lower pole of the right kidney during ultrasonography performed as part of a physical examination. DIAGNOSES AND INTERVENTIONS: Laparoscopic surgery was conducted following surgical evaluation, and the histopathological diagnosis confirmed hemangioma. OUTCOMES: The patient has been monitored for 30 months, during which no recurrence or metastasis of the tumor has been observed. LESSONS: Retroperitoneal AHs are often located in the perirenal fat space. Preoperative imaging often suggests a diagnosis of paraganglioma due to the location and imaging findings, indicating that accurate identification of the mass type by imaging diagnosis is still challenging. AH with significant steatosis cannot be accurately diagnosed by gross examination and histology alone, while immunohistochemistry and molecular pathology can assist in the diagnosis.