Soft tissue tumors of the lower extremities

MRI is the preferred modality for th eevaluation of a soft tissue mass following radiography. The radiologic appearance of certain soft tissue tumors or tumor-like processes may be sufficiently unique to allow a strong presumptive radiologic diagnosis. It must be emphasized that one cannot differentiate reliably between benign and malignant lesions on radiologic imaging alone. When a specific diagnosis is not possible, knowledge of tumor prevalence by location and age, with appropriate clinical history and radiologic features, can be used to establish a suitably ordered differential diagnosis.