title: Soft tissue tumours: imaging strategy.
abstract: Vascular tumours and malformations, fibrous and fibrohistiocytic tumours and pseudotumours are the most common benign soft-tissue masses observed in children, and can be treated conservatively. Rhabdomyosarcomas are the most frequent malignant tumours, accounting for about half of soft tissue sarcomas. A child referred for a soft-tissue mass should ideally be managed by a multidisciplinary team and primary excision should be proscribed until a definite diagnosis has been established. Clinical examination, conventional radiography and US with Doppler represent the first-line examinations and are sometimes sufficient to make a diagnosis. In all other situations, MRI is mandatory to establish the aggressiveness and extension of the tumour. This technique provides the relevant data to guide the decision regarding tissue sampling.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Institute Curie, 26 rue d'Ulm, Paris 75005, France. herve.brisse@curie.net
authors.forename: Hervé J
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Brisse
authors.forename: Daniel
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Orbach
authors.forename: Jerzy
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Klijanienko
mesh_terms: D002648:Child; D003952:Diagnostic Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D012983:Soft Tissue Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis*