MR imaging of soft tissue tumors and tumor-like lesions.
The evaluation of a soft tissue mass in a child should proceed with a differential diagnosis in mind, based on the clinical history, age of the child, and location of the abnormality. Small, superficial masses can be initially evaluated with sonography. More extensive or deep lesions usually require cross-sectional imaging. With the exception of myositis ossificans, magnetic resonance (MR) imaging has largely replaced the use of computed tomography. MR imaging is used to delineate the extent of a lesion, to evaluate response to therapy, and to monitor postoperative complications. There is great overlap in the MR imaging characteristics of benign and malignant lesions, making tissue sampling imperative for diagnosis.
Laor
Tal
T
Department of Radiology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, 3333 Burnet Avenue, Cincinnati, OH 45229, USA. laor@cchmc.org
D002648:Child; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D012983:Soft Tissue Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis*