Magnetic resonance imaging of soft tissue tumors of the hand and wrist

We will discuss the imaging characteristics of soft tissue tumors of the hand and wrist, especially the magnetic resonance imaging findings, since MRI has proven to be the gold standard for characterization of soft tissue tumors. Our series consists of 71 tumors of the hand and wrist, that were examined by magnetic resonance imaging. Fourty-four lesions were benign, 7 malignant, and 20 lesions were pseudotumoral masses. The signal characteristics often allow to make a correct diagnosis or to narrow down the list of differential diagnoses. It also allows to determine the extent of the lesion more accurately.