Juan De Dios Berna Mestre MD, Presenter: Nothing to Disclose

Begoña Torregrosa Sala, Abstract Co-Author: Nothing to Disclose

Daniel Rodriguez, Abstract Co-Author: Nothing to Disclose

Angela Cepero Calvete MD, Abstract Co-Author: Nothing to Disclose

Dolores Abellan, Abstract Co-Author: Nothing to Disclose

Manuel Reus, Abstract Co-Author: Nothing to Disclose

Sonoelastography is a recently developed ultrasound technique and its relevance in the diagnosis of prostate, breast, thyroid and lymph node lesions has been reported but there is no previous reference to musculoskeletal tumors. The aim of our paper is to describe the sonoelastographic features of different histological types of soft tissue tumors.

Thirty patients (19 females, 11 males; mean age: 41.3 years) with soft tissue tumors were examined by elastography, B-mode and color Doppler sonography, which were performed by using an ultrasound system with a frequency range of 7–15 MHz (Acuson S 2000; Siemens, Erlangen, Germany). Color coding of elastography images was classified into five groups following the Ueno 5-point scale. Most of the cases were also examined by plain films and MRI. The histopathological diagnosis was obtained in all cases.

Most of the cases were solid (27 of 30) and benign (26 of 30) tumors. The histological types included adipocytic (n=11), fibroblastic/myofibroblastic (n=3), so-called fibrohistiocytic (n=4), perivascular (n=1), vascular (n=2), neural (n=4), uncertain differentiation (n=2) and pseudotumoral lesions (n=3). The area of hardness obtained with sonoelastography and its relation to the histological tumor type was described. All adipocytic, vascular and perivascular tumors had an elasticity score of 1 or 2, while fibroblastic/myofibroblastic and so-called fibrohistiocytic tumors had a score of 3 or 4. Two malignant sarcomas had a score of 5. Myxoid material of neural and uncertain differentiation tumors showed a hard consistency by sonoelastography.

The use of sonoelastography may increase diagnostic accuracy in determining the histological type of superficial soft tissue tumors.

The use of sonoelastography may increase diagnostic accuracy in determining the histological type of superficial soft tissue tumors.

Berna Mestre, J, Torregrosa Sala, B, Rodriguez, D, Cepero Calvete, A, Abellan, D, Reus, M, Superficial Soft Tissue Tumors: Role of Sonoelastography.  Radiological Society of North America 2010 Scientific Assembly and Annual Meeting, November 28 - December 3, 2010 ,Chicago IL. http://archive.rsna.org/2010/9009319.html