Lipoma

Diagnosis

The healthcare provider may do the following to accurately diagnose a lipoma:

  • Physical Examination: Healthcare provider will conduct an assessment and palpate the lipoma and will assess if the lipoma is painful or tender.
  • Imaging test: Healthcare provider may request an imaging test such as an ultrasound, MRI scan, or computed tomography (CT) scan to get a clear picture of the lump. These imaging tests assist the healthcare provider in determining whether it is a lipoma or a cyst. It can also be used to determine the location, how deep it is, and whether it is pressing on any nerves or other tissues.
  • Biopsy: This procedure confirms that the lipoma is not cancerous. Healthcare provider will perform this procedure by removing a sample of the lipoma and sending it to a lab for analysis.

It is unlikely that a lump that looks a lipoma is actually the cancerous liposarcoma. Cancerous tumors in fatty tissues called liposarcomas develop quickly, don’t move beneath the skin, and are typically tender. If healthcare providers suspects liposarcoma, a biopsy, an MRI, or a CT scan will likely be performed.

Treatment

Lipoma typically doesn’t require any sort of treatment. However, the healthcare provider can advise having the lipoma removed if it bothers the patient, it cause pain, or it grows bigger. Lipoma treatments consist of:

  • Surgical removal: The majority of lipomas are surgically removed. Recurrences following removal are rare. Bruising and scarring are potential side effects. Less scarring could be achieved using a procedure called minimal excision extraction.
  • Liposuction: As an alternative procedure to remove the fatty lump, a thin needle and a long syringe are used in this procedure.