[Vascular tumors of somatic soft tissues: a xerographic evaluation]

The xeroradiographic features of 34 soft tissue vascular tumors, either benign and malignant, were retrospectively evaluated and analyzed. The incidence of the main semeiologic landmarks in benign and malignant lesions was submitted to statistical evaluation. Benign vascular tumors (hemangiomas, lymphangiomas and mixed forms) often appear as irregular nodes with granular or worm-like structure due to the dilatation of small vessels. Lymphangiomas may contain also rounded or ovoid opacities due to the presence of lymphatic cysts. Vascular malignancies (angiosarcomas) are always radiopaque masses, with irregular borders and infiltration of the surrounding structures. Xeroradiography is proposed as a first-line technique for the diagnosis of soft tissue vascular tumors, before more complex and expensive procedures, like CT or arteriography, are undertaken.