Imaging findings of intra-articular tumor/tumor-like lesions based on pathologic correlation

Proper treatment of intra-articular tumor/tumor-like lesions (tenosynovial giant cell tumor, synovial chondromatosis, synovial hemangioma / intra-articular venous malformations, lipoma arborescens, etc.) depends on an accurate diagnosis. This review highlights the imaging findings of intra-articular tumor/tumor-like lesions and the other synovial diseases (gout, amyloid arthropathy, rheumatoid arthritis, ganglion, and postoperative intra-articular tumor) to determine whether they could help in establishing the correct diagnosis. Many synovial proliferative diseases have specific imaging characteristics and an awareness of these characteristics along with their pathological and anatomical features can allow for an accurate diagnosis. Even though a wide spectrum of diseases may involve the synovium, careful MRI assessment used in conjunction with clinical information can lead to a substantial narrowing of the differential diagnosis.