Imaging approach to synchronous bone and soft tissue lesions

Soft tissue lesions are frequently encountered by radiologists in everyday clinical practice, and are often challenging to evaluate because of the wide range of connective tissue subtypes from which they may arise, resulting in variable imaging appearances. On rare occasions, they may also be associated with bone lesions, which can cause further diagnostic confusion. Synchronous lesions represent a major diagnostic and therapeutic challenge in clinical practice, as they may include both benign and malignant entities. An overview of the different imaging features and an appropriate diagnostic algorithm may lead to a more specific diagnosis, which is essential for effective clinical management. The identification of certain imaging features may help differentiate malignant from benign lesions and therefore influence patient treatment and prognosis.