title: Imaging of primary chest wall tumors with radiologic-pathologic correlation.
abstract: Neoplasms and tumorlike lesions that originate from chest wall tissues are uncommon compared with tumors in other parts of the body, and unfamiliarity with these disease entities can cause diagnostic difficulties for radiologists. Furthermore, the imaging features of many of these tumors are nonspecific, particularly those that are locally aggressive. However, a systematic approach based on patient age, clinical history, lesion location, and characteristic imaging findings often helps limit the differential diagnosis. Primary chest wall tumors can be classified as bone or soft-tissue tumors, with the latter being further classified into adipocytic tumors, vascular tumors, peripheral nerve sheath tumors, cutaneous lesions, fibroblastic-myofibroblastic tumors, and so-called fibrohistiocytic tumors, largely based on the 2002 World Health Organization classification. Within each category, it is possible to further limit the differential diagnosis with cross-sectional imaging. Information on specific features (eg, mineralization, fibrosis, hemosiderin deposits) and imaging patterns (eg, the "target sign" and "fascicular sign" seen in neurogenic tumors) can aid in making the diagnosis. Radiologists can achieve a sufficiently specific diagnosis of bone tumors and soft-tissue tumors if typical findings are present.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Gangnam Severance Hospital, Yonsei University, 146-92 Dogok-Dong, Gangnam-Gu, Seoul 135-720, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Se Jin
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Nam
authors.forename: Sungjun
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Beom Jin
authors.initials: BJ
authors.lastname: Lim
authors.forename: Choon-Sik
authors.initials: CS
authors.lastname: Yoon
authors.forename: Tae Hoon
authors.initials: TH
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Jin-Suck
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Suh
authors.forename: Doo Hoe
authors.initials: DH
authors.lastname: Ha
authors.forename: Jong Won
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Kwon
authors.forename: Young Cheol
authors.initials: YC
authors.lastname: Yoon
authors.forename: Hye Won
authors.initials: HW
authors.lastname: Chung
authors.forename: Mi Sook
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Sung
authors.forename: Yun Sun
authors.initials: YS
authors.lastname: Choi
authors.forename: Jang Gyu
authors.initials: JG
authors.lastname: Cha
mesh_terms: D001859:Bone Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology; D003287:Contrast Media; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D012983:Soft Tissue Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology; D013899:Thoracic Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology; D035441:Thoracic Wall / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed
chemical_list: D003287:Contrast Media