To explore the clinical features and histopathological types of retroperitoneal cystic lesions (RCL).

A retrospective study of 65 cases diagnosed as RCL in Peking Union Medical College Hospital from January 2010 to October 2020 was conducted. The clinical pathological features, imaging, therapeutic data and short-term outcomes were analyzed.

The number of women was more than that of men. Among them, 17 cases (26.2%) had symptoms and 36 cases (55.4%) were simultaneously diagnosed with cysts in other organs. The maximum diameter of the cysts was (7.49±2.83) cm. The imaging findings of RCL were diverse and nonspecific. According to the incidence rate of histopathological types from high to low, pathological types were fibrous cystic lesion, lymphangiocyst, mature cystic teratoma, bronchogenic cyst, cystic mesothelioma and dermoid cyst. Sixty cases underwent surgical operation, and no recurrence occurred. Four cases (6.7%) had complications.

The histopathological types of RCL are various. Most of them are related to congenital embryonic dysplasia, and some of them have the possibility of malignant transformation, therefore early detection and timely surgical resection are necessary. The CT examination should be further carried out after discovery of organ cysts to facilitate the early diagnosis of RCL.