# A rare pelvic mass in an adult woman: case report of a mature sacrococcygeal teratoma

**Authors:** Asmae Guennouni, Ihssane Laasri, Soukaina Bahha, Youssef Omor, Rachida Latib, Sanae Amalik

PMC · DOI: 10.1093/jscr/rjag158 · Journal of Surgical Case Reports · 2026-03-17

## TL;DR

A rare case of a benign tumor in the pelvis of an adult woman is reported, emphasizing the importance of MRI for diagnosis and surgery for treatment.

## Contribution

This case report adds to the limited literature on adult-onset sacrococcygeal teratomas and highlights the role of MRI in accurate diagnosis.

## Key findings

- MRI accurately identified a mature sacrococcygeal teratoma in a 30-year-old woman.
- Surgical excision confirmed the diagnosis of a benign tumor with no malignancy.
- The case underscores the importance of considering SCT in the differential diagnosis of adult pelvic masses.

## Abstract

Sacrococcygeal teratomas (SCTs) are rare germ cell tumors that predominantly occur in neonates and infants, with adult presentations being exceptionally uncommon. These tumors arise from pluripotent embryonic germ cells located in the coccygeal region and may contain a mixture of cystic, solid, fatty, and calcified components. Malignant transformation, although rare, is associated with increased tumor vascularity and aggressive behavior. We present the case of a 30-year-old woman with no prior medical history who presented with urinary incontinence. Initial ultrasound revealed a non-specific cystic pelvic mass, prompting further evaluation with pelvic magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). MRI demonstrated a well-circumscribed presacral mass with typical features of SCT, including cystic components and fatty areas showing signal suppression on fat-saturated sequences, with no evidence of invasion or malignancy. The patient underwent surgical excision, which remains the treatment of choice, and histopathology confirmed a benign mature teratoma. This case highlights the importance of including sacrococcygeal teratoma in the differential diagnosis of adult pelvic masses and reinforces the essential role of MRI in lesion characterization and preoperative planning.

## Linked entities

- **Diseases:** sacrococcygeal teratoma (MONDO:0042727)

## Full-text entities

- **Diseases:** fatty (MESH:D008067), SCTs (MESH:D013724), urinary incontinence (MESH:D014549), pelvic mass (MESH:C536030), germ cell tumors (MESH:D009373), malignancy (MESH:D009369), SCT (MESH:C535780)
- **Chemicals:** fat (MESH:D005223)
- **Species:** Homo sapiens (human, species) [taxon 9606]

## Full text

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## Figures

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## References

10 references — full list in the complete paper: https://tomesphere.com/paper/PMC12998215/full.md

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Source: https://tomesphere.com/paper/PMC12998215