Primary Site Identification of Soft-Tissue Mass: Things to Know in MRI Assessment

The spectrum of soft-tissue mass is varied, including neoplastic and nonneoplastic/inflammatory lesions. However, soft-tissue tumors have similar imaging findings and, therefore, the diagnosis of soft-tissue mass is challenging. Although careful assessment of the internal characteristics on imaging can often narrow the differential diagnoses, the differential diagnosis may be out of the question if identification of the soft-tissue mass origin is missed. The purpose of this article is to review the imaging findings and the essential anatomy to identify the primary site of the soft-tissue mass, and discuss the associated potential pitfalls. In order not to fall into a pitfall, recognition of characteristic imaging findings indicating the origin of the soft-tissue mass and anatomical knowledge of the normal tissue distribution are necessary. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: 5 TECHNICAL EFFICACY STAGE: 3.