Terminology
- The term “mesenteric cyst” is considered a descriptive of the location and gross appearance of “any cyst” arising in the mesentery
Epidemiology
- Mesenteric cysts are rare, with a reported incidence of 0.5-1 per 100,000-250,000 admissions
- There may be a slight female predilection.
Clinical presentation
- Patients usually present with abdominal pain and/or mass, although the cysts can be asymptomatic, incidental finding
Aetiology
- Lymphatic: simple lymphatic cyst and lymphangioma
- Mesothelial: simple mesothelial cyst, benign cystic mesothelioma, and malignant cystic mesothelioma
- Enteric: enteric cyst and enteric Duplication Cyst
- Urogenital
- Mature cystic teratoma (dermoid cysts)
- Non-pancreatic pseudocysts (infectious and traumatic cysts)
Radiographic features
- Mesenteric cysts can occur anywhere in the mesentery, from the duodenum to the rectum, and may extend into the retroperitoneum. Mesenteric cysts are cystic mesenteric lesions that can be further characterised by the wall thickness (thin or thick-walled) and their loculation (unilocular or multilocular).