Soft tissue masses of extremities:MR findings

ABSTRACT

To evaluate MR findings of soft tissue masses in extremities and to find the helpful findings of distinguish benignity from malignancy, 28 soft tissue masses (22 benign and 6 malignant) in extremities were reviewed. T1-weighted, proton density, T2-weighted and Gd-DTPA enhanced images were obtained. MR images allowed a specific diagnosis in a large number of benign masses, such as hemangioma(8/9), lipoma(2/2), angiolipoma(1/1), epidermoid cyst(2/2), myositis ossificans(1/1), synovial chondromatosis(1/1) and pigmented villonodular synovitis (1/2). Specific diagnosis was difficult in the rest of the masses including malignancy. However, inhomogenous signal intensities with necrosis and inhomogenous enhancement may suggest malignant masses.