An update on soft tissue tumors of the foot and ankle from the world's literature.
A recent publication coming from the L’hôpital Lariboisièr in Paris comprises a review of the diagnosis and presentation of soft tissue tumors in the area of the ankle and foot.
This just in: Updates on soft tissue tumors of the foot and ankle from the world's literature.
According to the authors, soft tissue masses in the foot are frequent and approximately 1/3 are malignant and two thirds are benign. Based on their review of the literature, the most common soft tissue tumors include Morton neuroma, ganglion cyst, plantar fibromas, hemangioma's, schwannomas, neurofibroms, and giant cell tumor of tendon sheath. Other common benign non-tumorous soft tissue masses include gouty tophi, rheumatoid nodules, epidermal cysts, and synovial masses due to tendon pathology.
According to these authors, the three most common malignant tumors were malignant fibrous hystiocytoma, synovial sarcoma, and clear cell sarcoma.
The authors found an interesting association between age and the likelihood of malignancy. In patients less than 55 years of age, less than one third of the tumors were malignant, whereas in patients between 56 and 75 years of age, between one third and two thirds of tumors were malignant, and over 76 years, two thirds of tumors were malignant.
The authors also noted that certain tumors were more likely in certain locations of the foot. This finding is predictable based on the anatomic distribution of tissues within the foot and ankle.
The MRI signal characteristics of certain lesions was typical enough to be diagnostic. These lesions included Morton neuroma, plantar fibromatosis, giant cell tumor of tendon sheath, pigmented villonodular synovitis. Other lesions, including malignant lesions and many benign lesions, cannot be reliably identified by MRI signal characteristics alone.
Article reference (article in French):
Tumeurs et pseudo-tumeurs des tissus mous de la région pied-cheville
V. Bousson , a, , B. Hamzéa, M. Wybiera, E. Dagueta, C. Parliera, D. Petrovera, P. Bossarda and J.D. Laredoa
aService de Radiologie Ostéo-Articulaire, Hôpital Lariboisière 2, rue Ambroise Paré, 75010 Paris
