title: Malignant primary chest wall neoplasms: a pictorial review of imaging findings.
abstract: Malignant primary chest wall neoplasms (MCWN) are uncommon. Although benign chest wall neoplasms are most commonly asymptomatic, MCWN typically manifest as painful, fast growing masses. While the imaging features of malignant masses can be nonspecific, knowledge of the typical radiologic manifestations of MCWN may suggest a specific diagnosis. We review imaging features of the most common MCWN with images collected at an outpatient academic oncologic center.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  While the imaging features of patients with malignant masses can be nonspecific, knowledge of the typical radiologic manifestations of MCWN may suggest a specific diagnosis. We review distinguishing imaging features of the most common MCWN, including epithelial and mesenchymal malignancies, with images collected at an outpatient oncologic center.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Chest wall neoplasms encompass 5% of all thoracic tumors, with nearly half of chest wall neoplasms being malignant. Out of these malignant neoplasms, 50% are primary and the commonest one is chondrosarcoma. Although distinguishing imaging features may suggest a specific diagnosis in the majority of MCWN, most affected patients undergo biopsy for a definitive diagnosis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, University of Mississippi Medical Center, Jackson, MS 39216, USA. fsouza@umc.edu
authors.forename: Frederico F
authors.initials: FF
authors.lastname: Souza
authors.forename: Mauricio
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: de Angelo
authors.forename: Kevin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: O'Regan
authors.forename: Jyothi
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Jagannathan
authors.forename: Jyothi
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Jagganathan
authors.forename: Katherine
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Krajewski
authors.forename: Nikhil
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Ramaiya
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003952:Diagnostic Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011859:Radiography; D011877:Radionuclide Imaging; D013899:Thoracic Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis*; D035441:Thoracic Wall / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology*; D055815:Young Adult