Multiple symmetric lipomatosis in two Chinese patients, one typical and one unusual

Multiple symmetric lipomatosis (MSL; Madelung disease) is an uncommon disorder with diffuse multiple symmetrical unencapsulated accumulations of fat located in the neck and the upper trunk. MSL usually occurs in middle aged Caucasian men of Mediterranean ancestry with a history of alcoholism. In the past decade, an increasing number of cases in the Chinese population have been reported which appear to be limited to the head and neck regions. We describe two Chinese patients with MSL who have a history of alcoholism. The MR and CT findings disclosed that one patient had the typical accumulation of unencapsulated fat in the neck and upper back, while the other patient had more than the typical neck involvement and an unusual distribution of fat in the scrotum.