CASE REPORTS   

Esperienze Dermatologiche 2011 June;13(2):69-73

Copyright © 2011 EDIZIONI MINERVA MEDICA

language: Italian

Nodular fasciitis of the face with revision of the literature

Cervadoro E. ¹, Ubiglia S. ¹, Ricciuti F. ¹, Tognetti A. ², Guidetti F. ³

¹ I S.O.D. di Dermatologia Chirurgica, Fisioterapia Dermatologica e Follow-up Ustioni, Pisa, Italia 2 Unità Operativa di Anatomia e Istologia Patologica 2, Pisa, Italia 3 Unità Operativa di Chirurgia Maxillofacciale, Pisa, Italia

Nodular fasciitis is a non-oncologic rare disease, whose etiology has not yet been completely cleared, often misconsidered. The etiology was previously thought to be traumatic, but this hypothesis has been currently denied by the most recent literature. It is characterized by a chaotic rapid growth of a predominant stromal component. In literature two subsets of nodular fasciitis are described. The former is superficial, hyperintense and low enhancing at magnetic resonance imaging; the latter is deeper, isointense with dishomogeneous enhancement. Those differences seem to be related with different prognosis. Our review focuses on recent developments in genetic and molecular diagnosis. The present article aimed to suggest different specialists always to take into consideration a diagnostic pathway on head and neck expansive masses involving the fascia the nodular fasciitis as a possible etiology.