MR Imaging of Benign Soft Tissue Tumors: Highlights for the Practicing Radiologist

The overwhelming majority of soft tissue masses encountered on routine imaging are incidental and benign. When incidental, the radiologist is usually limited to routine MR imaging sequences, often without contrast. In these situations, there are typical imaging features pointing to a single diagnosis or limited differential diagnosis. Although these imaging features can be helpful, many lesions are nonspecific and may require contrast administration, evaluation with other imaging modalities, follow-up imaging, or biopsy for diagnosis. This article will provide an overview of the most commonly encountered benign soft tissue masses along with some of their characteristic MR imaging features.