Synovial sarcoma in children: imaging features and common benign mimics

Area of Science:

• Pediatric oncology
• Radiology
• Soft-tissue sarcomas

Background:

• Synovial sarcoma is the most frequent malignant nonrhabdomyosarcoma soft-tissue sarcoma in children.
• Accurate diagnosis is essential for appropriate management and improved patient outcomes.

Purpose of the Study:

• To illustrate characteristic imaging findings of synovial sarcoma in pediatric patients.
• To present examples of benign soft-tissue lesions that mimic synovial sarcoma in children.

Main Methods:

• Review of imaging studies (MRI, CT, ultrasound) of pediatric patients with confirmed synovial sarcoma.
• Comparison with imaging findings of selected benign soft-tissue tumors in the pediatric population.
• Radiological assessment focusing on key differentiating features.

Main Results:

• Synovial sarcoma in children can exhibit variable imaging appearances, sometimes mimicking benign lesions.
• Specific imaging features can help differentiate synovial sarcoma from benign mimics, although overlap exists.
• Benign mimics share some imaging characteristics with synovial sarcoma, necessitating careful evaluation.

Conclusions:

• Radiologists must be aware of the diverse presentations of pediatric synovial sarcoma.
• Distinguishing synovial sarcoma from benign mimics is critical for timely surgical planning and diagnosis.
• Early and accurate diagnosis can prevent locoregional spread and metastatic disease in pediatric patients.