Intramuscular granular cell tumor in the sternocleidomastoid muscle: A case report and literature review

Granular cell tumor (GCT) is a rare soft-tissue neoplasm that originates from Schwann cells. Most cases occur in the subcutaneous or submucosal regions, and intramuscular GCT is even more uncommon. Herein, we describe an atypical GCT growing in the sternocleidomastoid muscle. A 41-year-old Chinese man was admitted to our hospital for a right neck mass. In magnetic resonance images, the mass showed higher signal intensity than the adjacent normal muscle on T2-weighted images and intermediate signal intensity on T1-weighted images. Slightly enhanced and higher signal intensity was observed in the peripheral rim on contrast-enhanced fat-sat T1-weighted images, and the "stripe sign" was evident. The tumor was completely resected, and pathological examination indicated an atypical GCT. The patient tolerated the procedure well. This is a rare case report of an intramuscular GCT from diagnosis to treatment. Magnetic resonance imaging might help diagnose such tumors, and we review different magnetic resonance imaging characteristics of intramuscular GCTs at other sites.