Atefe Pooyan;
Department of Radiology, University of Washington
Alireza Eajazi;
University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center
Mohamed Jarraya;
Massachusetts General Hospital/Harvard Medical School
Frank Roemer;
Department of Radiology, Chobanian and Avedisian School of Medicine/Boston University; Friedrich-Alexander Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg and Universitätsklinikum Erlangen
Ali Guermazi;
Department of Radiology, Chobanian and Avedisian School of Medicine/Boston University
Majid Chalian;
Department of Radiology, University of Washington
Background
Evaluating soft tissue lesions through imaging can be difficult due to their nonspecific features. Traditional imaging methods like x-rays and CT scans frequently fall short in evaluating these lesions due to lack of soft tissue contrast. For this reason, MRI is generally the preferred imaging modality for assessing soft tissue lesions. This presentation will explore the role of MRI in examining such abnormalities.
Educational Goals / Teaching Points
• Understand the role of MRI in soft tissue tumors; going over the advantages and limitations of MRI in soft tissue tumor diagnosis and management. • Identify the clinical presentation, imaging characteristics, and management of different soft tissue tumors, with focus on WHO 2020 lesion classification. • Discuss the differential diagnosis of soft tissue tumors. • Discuss the appropriate use of MRI in the management of soft tissue tumors.
Key Anatomic/Physiologic Issues and Imaging Findings/Techniques
This presentation will discuss how the role of MRI in evaluating soft tissue lesions has expanded due to new advanced sequences. Techniques like DWI assess tissue density, dynamic contrast-enhanced MRI evaluates blood flow, and proton nuclear MR spectroscopy reveals biochemical composition. These advancements make MRI a more comprehensive and accurate tool for diagnosing soft tissue abnormalities.
Conclusion
Although MRI may not always enable a definitive diagnosis of soft tissue lesions owing to their nonspecific nature, it is invaluable for assessing the extent, neighboring tissue involvement, and vascularity of lesions. We will cover technical aspects specific to evaluating soft tissue lesions, focusing on imaging features, clinical and pathological findings related to common soft tissue tumors, and other noncancerous conditions like cysts, trauma, and infections.
