A Case of Sclerosing Mesenteritis with Rheumatoid Arthritis

Sclerosing mesenteritis (SM) is an uncommon disorder characterized by chronic nonspecific inflammation involving the adipose tissue of the mesentery. The etiology remains unclear. It has been reported in association with and as an initial presentation in some autoimmune diseases. Its clinical presentation and laboratory findings are typically nonspecific and definitive diagnosis usually requires biopsy or surgical excision. We report a patient with a history of rheumatoid arthritis who was found to have an intra-abdominal mass suspicious for malignancy. A biopsy revealed the diagnosis of SM.