title: Ultrasound of soft-tissue masses: pitfalls in interpretation.
abstract: A review of 43 patients with soft-tissue tumours identified from a tumour registry showed a 23% rate of incorrect initial diagnosis by ultrasound imaging. Seven patients, five with malignant tumours, suffered a delay in diagnosis (ranging up to 6 months) as a result. The most common error was to mistake a solid tumour for a haematoma. Caution is recommended in the interpretation of ultrasound of soft-tissue masses, particularly with regard to the erroneous diagnosis of haematoma.
authors.affiliation: New Zealand Bone Tumour Registry, Radiology Department, Middlemore Hospital, Otahuhu, Auckland, New Zealand. adoyle@middlemore.co.nz
authors.forename: A J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Doyle
authors.forename: M V
authors.initials: MV
authors.lastname: Miller
authors.forename: J G
authors.initials: JG
authors.lastname: French
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D003951:Diagnostic Errors; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012983:Soft Tissue Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D014463:Ultrasonography