Fine needle aspiration cytology of focal myositis: a case report.

[focal myositis]

Focal myositis is an unusual inflammatwy lesion of the skeletal muscle first described by Heffizer . It is a benign condition and usually involves the muscles of the limbs .A man presented with a palpable mass in the left leg of 6 months ' duration . Nuclear magnetic resonance of the leg showed a mass in the tibial muscle ; the presumptive diagnosis was sarcoma of the muscle . Smears showed inflammatory cells , skeletal muscle fibers with degenerative and regenerative changes , and fibrous tissue , suggesting a diagnosis of focal myositis . An incisional muscle biopsy was performed , confirming the diagnosis .Focal myositis should always he considered when aspirating muscle masses because it is a clinical mimic of a neoplasm . The prognosis is good , and all cases reported in the literature were self-limiting and gradually resolved .