Abstract
We have recently observed two patients suspected to have soft tissue tumors based on findings of MR imaging, but who were finally diagnosed with inflammatory disease.
Case 1: A 55-year-old woman visited our hospital with the principal complaint of pain in the lateral portion of the right thigh. On the basis of this symptom and findings of blood tests, she was diagnosed with acute myositis and treated with antibiotics.
Case 2: A 72-year-old man visited our hospital with the principal complaint of a tumor in the front portion of the right thigh. Based on the results of biopsy and pathologic examination, he was diagnosed with atopic chronic inflammatory disease.
These two patients had T1-weighted images almost the same as those of normal muscle on T1-weighted images, but heterogeneously high signal intensities on T2-weighted images.
Since similar signal changes on MR images occur in many cases of soft tissue tumors as well, differential diagnosis of these tumors and inflammations is frequently difficult. However, differentiation between them is possible when detailed comparison of images is combined with consideration of clinical symptoms and the results of other examinations.
