CD 34 Staining to the Rescue in an Incidental Capillary Hemangioma of the Bone Marrow

Intraosseous hemangiomas are extremely rare and benign neoplasms of vascular origin, usually occurring in adults and involving skull bones, vertebra, ribs, sternum, long bones, patella and clavicle. Iliac or pelvic bone involvement is extremely rare. Hemangiomas of the marrow spaces are extremely uncommon. We report this rare neoplasm in a child that was incidentally detected on bone marrow examination for thrombocytopenia which mimicked a metastatic deposit. However, immunostaining with CD34 was successful in characterizing this solid vascular lesion as capillary hemangioma. This report emphasizes the importance of correctly identifying this lesion with the help of simple CD34 immunostaining since no specific therapy is required.