Magnetic Resonance Imaging of Bone and Soft Tissue Tumors

Abstract

The clinical utility of the magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) as compared with that of computed tomography (CT) and plain radiographs in patients with bone and soft tissue tumors is reported. Seven patients with soft tissue tumors (desmoid, lipoma, giant cell tumor of the tendon sheath, hemangioma, extraskeletal chondroma and synovial sarcoma), one patient with pigmented villonodular synovitis (PVS), and three patients with bone tumors (chondroblastoma, osteosarcoma and metastatic bone tumor) were examined with a Signa 1.5-tesla superconducting magnet, CT scan and plain radiographs. Advantages of MRI over CT and plain radiographs were as follows: (1) the ability to image in the sagittal, coronal and oblique planes, (2) demonstration of vessels, nerves and tendons without contrast, (3) demonstration of hemosiderin in PVS, and (4) demonstration of the intramedullar and extraosseous extent of bone tumors. However, MRI was less valuable than CT and plain radiographs for cortical destruction and small calcification.