Chest wall tumors: radiologic findings and pathologic correlation: part 2. Malignant tumors.
Malignant chest wall tumors are classified into eight main diagnostic categories: muscular, vascular, fibrous and fibrohistiocytic, peripheral nerve, osseous and cartilaginous, adipose, hematologic, and cutaneous. However, there are malignant tumors that arise in the chest wall and that do not fit well in any of these categories (eg, Ewing sarcoma and synovial sarcoma). Malignant chest wall tumors typically manifest as painful, rapidly growing, large palpable masses. Chest radiography, the technique most often used for initial evaluation, can be helpful for detecting cortical destruction. However, computed tomography is more sensitive than chest radiography for detecting calcified tumor matrix and cortical destruction. Magnetic resonance imaging often allows more accurate delineation and localization of the tumor and is helpful for determining the presence and extent of tumor invasion and for tissue characterization. Although the imaging features of many malignant chest wall tumors are nonspecific, knowledge of the typical radiologic manifestations of these tumors often enables their differentiation from benign chest wall tumors and occasionally allows a specific diagnosis to be suggested. The article reviews the clinical and imaging features of the most common malignant chest wall tumors and presents images collected at a single cancer referral center.
Tateishi
Ukihide
U
Division of Diagnostic Radiology, Pathology, Orthopedics, and Thoracic Surgery, National Cancer Center Hospital and Institute, 5-1-1, Tsukiji, Chuo-Ku, 104-0045 Tokyo, Japan. utateish@ncc.go.jp
Gladish
Gregory W
GW
Kusumoto
Masahiko
M
Hasegawa
Tadashi
T
Yokoyama
Ryohei
R
Tsuchiya
Ryosuke
R
Moriyama
Noriyuki
N
D000328:Adult; D001859:Bone Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology; D019337:Hematologic Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods; D008875:Middle Aged; D009383:Neoplasms, Vascular Tissue / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology; D010524:Peripheral Nervous System Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology; D012983:Soft Tissue Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology; D013899:Thoracic Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology; D035441:Thoracic Wall / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000379:methods