Abstract
High resolution ultrasound (HR-US) including color Doppler ultrasound (CD-US), power Doppler ultrasound (PD-US), and spectral wave analysis (SWA), is a broadly available, non-invasive and relatively low-cost modality without ionizing radiation. It is increasingly used for initial assessment of an ambiguous musculoskeletal soft-tissue lesion and for sonographically guided core biopsy. The aim of this review is to provide sonographic findings of the most frequent benign and malign soft-tissue lesions. By this essay, we can show that combined with clinical features, with information on tumor-localization and patient age, many musculoskeletal lesions may be successfully characterized by HR-US. In contrast, a mere morphologic assignment of some fibrous tumors and malignant lesions remains often impossible; however, certain CD-US signs such as anarchic vascular architecture or arteriovenous shunting may be very helpful indicators for malignancy. HR-US offers a simple, quick, and reliable first-line examination of musculoskeletal soft-tissue lesions and may have an important role in the diagnostic work-up followed by magnetic resonance or multimodality imaging and guided core biopsy.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Mende U, Gutwein S, Krempien R, Wannemacher M, Ewerbeck V, Wörn H. Sonography of tumors of the locomotor system. Orthopäde 2002; 31: 156–164.
Fletcher CDM, Unni KK, Mertens F. Pathology and genetics of tumours oft soft tissue and bone. In: World Health Organization Classification of Tumours. Lyon: IARC, 2002.
Kransdorf MJ. Benign soft-tissue tumors in a large referral population: distribution of specific diagnosis by age, sex, and location. AJR Am J Roentgenol 1995; 164(1): 395–402.
Kransdorf MJ. Malignant soft-tissue tumors in a large referral population: distribution of diagnoses by age, sex, and location. AJR Am J Roentgenol 1995; 164(1): 129–134.
Bodner G, Schocke MF, Rachbauer F. Differentiation of malignant and benign musculoskeletal tumors: combined color and power Doppler US and spectral wave analysis. Radiology 2002; 223(2) :410–416.
Brisse H, Orbach D, Klijanienko J, Freneaux P, Neuenschwander S. Imaging and diagnostic strategy of soft tissue tumors in children. Eur Radiol 2006; 16(5): 1147–1164.
Yiu-Chiu VS, Chiu LC. Complementary values of ultrasound and computed tomography in the evaluation of musculoskeletal masses. Radiographics 1983; 3: 46–82.
Adler RS. Future and new developments in musculoskeletal ultrasound. Radiol Clin North Am 1999; 37(4): 623–631, Jul.
Adler RS, Bell DS, Bamber JC, Moskovic E, Thomas JM. Evaluation of soft-tissue masses using segmented color Doppler velocity images: preliminary observations. AJR Am J Roentgenol 1999; 172(3): 781–788, Mar.
Lin J, Jacobson JA, Fessell DP, Weadock WJ, Hayes CW. An illustrated tutorial of musculoskeletal sonography: part 4, musculoskeletal masses, sonographically guided interventions, and miscellaneous topics. AJR Am J Roentgenol 2000; 175(6): 1711–1719.
Soudack M, Nachtigal A, Vladovski E, Brook O, Gaitini D. Sonographically guided percutaneous needle biopsy of soft tissue masses with histopathologic correlation. J Ultrasound Med 2006; 25(10): 1271–1277.
Torriani M, Etchebehere M, Amstalden E. Sonographically guided core needle biopsy of bone and soft tissue tumors. J Ultrasound Med 2002; 21(3): 275–281.
Gandhi MR, Benson MD. Ultrasound of soft tissue masses. World J Surg 2000; 24(2): 227–231.
Doyle AJ, Miller MV, French JG. Ultrasound of soft-tissue masses: pitfalls in interpretation. Australas Radiol 2000; 44(3): 275–280.
Pham H, Fessell DP, Femino JE, Sharp S, Jacobson JA, Hayes CW. Sonography and MR imaging of selected benign masses in the ankle and foot. AJR Am J Roentgenol 2003; 180(1): 99–107.
Middleton WD, Teefey SA, Boyer MI. Hand and wrist sonography. Ultrasound Q 2001; 17(1): 21–36.
Wu KK. Morton’s interdigital neuroma: a clinical review of its etiology, treatment, and results. J Foot Ankle Surg 1996; 35(2): 112–119.
Wu KK. Morton neuroma and metatarsalgia. Curr Opin Rheumatol 2000; 12(2): 131–142.
Bendix N, Wolf C, Gruber H, Bodner G. Pictorial essay: ultrasound of tumours and tumour-like lesions of peripheral nerves. Ultraschall Med 2005; 26(4): 318–324.
Kransdorf MJ, Murphey MD, Smith SE. Imaging of soft tissue neoplasms in the adult: benign tumors. Semin Musculoskelet Radiol 1999; 3(1): 21–38.
Murphey MD, Carroll JF, Flemming DJ, Pope TL, Gannon FH, Kransdorf MJ. From the archives of the AFIP: benign musculoskeletal lipomatous lesions. Radiographics 2004; 24(5): 1433–1466.
Murphey MD, Arcara LK, Fanburg-Smith J. From the archives of the AFIP: imaging of musculoskeletal liposarcoma with radiologic–pathologic correlation. Radiographics 2005; 25(5): 1371–1395.
Murphey MD. World Health Organization classification of bone and soft tissue tumors: modifications and implications for radiologists. Semin Musculoskelet Radiol 2007; 11(3): 201–214.
Dinauer PA, Brixey CJ, Moncur JT, Fanburg-Smith JC, Murphey MD. Pathologic and MR imaging features of benign fibrous soft-tissue tumors in adults. Radiographics 2007; 27(1): 173–187.
Shin JH, Lee HK, Cho KJ. Nodular fasciitis of the head and neck: radiographic findings. Clin Imaging 2002; 27(1): 31–37.
Peetrons P. Ultrasound of muscles. Eur Radiol 2002; 12(1): 35–43.
Gindele A, Schwamborn D, Tsironis K, Benz-Bohm G. Myositis ossificans traumatica in young children: report of three cases and review of the literature. Pediatr Radiol 2000; 30(7): 451–459.
Wang XL, Malghem J, Parizel PM, Gielen JL, Vanhoenacker F, De Schepper AM. Pictorial essay. Myositis ossificans circumscripta. JBR-BTR 2003; 86(5): 278–285.
Okayama A, Futani H, Kyo F, Maruo S, Koezuka A, Kinoshita G. Usefulness of ultrasonography for early recurrent myositis ossificans. J Orthop Sci 2003; 8(2): 239–242.
Robbin MR, Murphey MD, Temple HT, Kransdorf MJ, Choi JJ. Imaging of musculoskeletal fibromatosis. Radiographics 2001; 21(3): 585–600.
Eich GF, Hoeffel JC, Tschappeler H, Gassner I, Willi UV. Fibrous tumours in children: imaging features of a heterogeneous group of disorders. Pediatr Radiol 1998; 28(7): 500–509.
Griffith JF, Wong TY, Wong SM, Wong MW, Metreweli C. Sonography of plantar fibromatosis. AJR Am J Roentgenol 2002; 179(5): 1167–1172.
Kransdorf MJ, Meis-Kindblom JM. Dermatofibrosarcoma protuberans: radiologic appearance. AJR Am J Roentgenol 1994; 163(2): 391–394.
De Schepper AM, Bloem JL. Soft tissue tumors: grading, staging, and tissue-specific diagnosis. Top Magn Reson Imaging 2007; 18(6): 431–444.
Murphey MD, Gibson MS, Jennings BT, Crespo-Rodríguez AM, Fanburg-Smith J, Gajewski DA. From the archives of the AFIP: imaging of synovial sarcoma with radiologic-pathologic correlation. Radiographics 2006; 26: 1543–1565.
Gloster HM Jr. Dermatofibrosarcoma protuberans. J Am Acad Dermatol 1996; 35(3 Pt 1): 355–374.
Murphey MD, Kransdorf MJ, Smith SE. Imaging of soft tissue neoplasms in the adult: malignant tumors. Semin Musculoskelet Radiol 1999; 3(1): 39–58.
Vilanova JC, Woertler K, Narváez JA, et al. Soft-tissue tumors update: MR imaging features according to the WHO classification. Eur Radiol 2007; 17(1): 125–138.
Son E, Park J, Jeon H, Cho S. Malignant fibrous histiocytoma (MFH) in axilla. Yonsei Med J 2004; 45(4): 736–738.
Murphey MD, Fairbairn KJ, Parman LM, Baxter KG, Parsa MB, Smith WS. From the archives of the AFIP. Musculoskeletal angiomatous lesions: radiologic–pathologic correlation. Radiographics 1995; 15(4): 893–917.
Olsen KI, Stacy GS, Montag A. Soft-tissue cavernous hemangioma. Radiographics 2004; 24(3): 849–854.
Paltiel HJ, Burrows PE, Kozakewich HP, Zurakowski D, Mulliken JB. Soft-tissue vascular anomalies: utility of US for diagnosis. Radiology 2000; 214(3): 747–754.
Dubois J, Patriquin HB, Garel L. Soft-tissue hemangiomas in infants and children: diagnosis using Doppler sonography. AJR Am J Roentgenol 1998; 171(1): 247–252.
Gruber H, Glodny B, Bendix N, Tzankov A, Peer S. High-resolution ultrasound of peripheral neurogenic tumors. Eur Radiol 2007; 17(11): 2880–2888.
Hrehorovich PA, Franke HR, Maximin S, Caracta P. Malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumor. Radiographics 2003; 23(3): 790–794.
Marzano L, Failoni S, Gallazzi M, Garbagna P. The role of diagnostic imaging in synovial sarcoma. Our experience. Radiol Med (Torino) 2004; 107(5–6): 533–540.
Enzinger FM, Weiss SW. Soft tissue tumors. 3rd ed. St Louis, MO: Mosby; 1995.
Kaushik S, Miller TT, Nazarian LN, Foster WC. Spectral Doppler sonography of musculoskeletal soft tissue masses. J Ultrasound Med 2003; 22(12): 1333–1336.
Gielen JL, De Schepper AM, Vanhoenacker F, et al. Accuracy of MRI in characterization of soft tissue tumors and tumor-like lesions. A prospective study in 548 patients. Eur Radiol 2004; 14(12): 2320–2330.
Jacobson JA. Musculoskeletal sonography and MR imaging. A role for both imaging methods. Radiol Clin North Am 1999; 37(4): 713–735.
Knapp EL, Kransdorf MJ, Letson GD. Diagnostic imaging update: soft tissue sarcomas. Cancer Control 2005; 12(1): 22–26.
Oudenhoven LF, Dhondt E, Kahn S, et al. Accuracy of radiography in grading and tissue-specific diagnosis—a study of 200 consecutive bone tumors of the hand. Skeletal Radiol 2006; 35(2): 78–87.
Fornage BD. Soft tissue masses: the underutilization of sonography. Semin Musculoskelet Radiol 1999; 3(2): 115–134.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Widmann, G., Riedl, A., Schoepf, D. et al. State-of-the-art HR-US imaging findings of the most frequent musculoskeletal soft-tissue tumors. Skeletal Radiol 38, 637–649 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00256-008-0602-9
Received:
Revised:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00256-008-0602-9