Pigmented villonodular synovitis in the hand

The related disorders of pigmented villonodular synovitis and pigmented villonodular tenosynovitis have very different clinical presentations. The synovial form occurs most frequently in the knee although other lower extremity joints including the hip, ankle and subtalar joints can be involved. Rarely, the shoulder, elbow and wrist have been the joint of origin. In contrast, the tenosynovial form is one of the most common masses in the hand and is found very much less frequently elsewhere. This report documents the synovial origin of four cases involving the small joints of the hands.