{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2025,10,10]],"date-time":"2025-10-10T01:28:14Z","timestamp":1760059694908,"version":"build-2065373602"},"reference-count":52,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"7","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2025,6,30]],"date-time":"2025-06-30T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1751241600000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["J. Imaging"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Soft tissue masses are predominantly benign, with a benign-to-malignant ratio exceeding 100:1, often located around joints. They may be contiguous or adjacent to joints or reflect systemic diseases or distant organ involvement. Clinically, they typically present as palpable swellings. Evaluation should consider duration, size, depth, and mobility. Also assess consistency, growth rate, symptoms, and history of trauma, infection, or malignancy. Laboratory tests are generally of limited diagnostic value. The primary clinical goal is to avoid unnecessary investigations or procedures for benign lesions while ensuring timely diagnosis and treatment of malignant ones. Imaging plays a central role: it confirms the presence of the lesion, assesses its location, size, and composition, differentiates between cystic and solid or benign and malignant features, and can sometimes provide a definitive diagnosis. Imaging is also crucial for biopsy planning, treatment strategy, identification of involved structures, and follow-up. Ultrasound (US) is the first-line imaging modality for palpable soft tissue masses due to its low cost, wide availability, and lack of ionizing radiation. If findings are inconclusive, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) or computed tomography (CT) is recommended. This review aims to discuss the most common causes of periarticular soft tissue masses in the appendicular skeleton, focusing on clinical presentation and radiologic features.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/jimaging11070217","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2025,6,30]],"date-time":"2025-06-30T13:06:17Z","timestamp":1751288777000},"page":"217","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":0,"title":["Imaging Evaluation of Periarticular Soft Tissue Masses in the Appendicular Skeleton: A Pictorial Review"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"11","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-7263-1125","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Francesco","family":"Pucciarelli","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Radiology Unit, Department of Surgical and Medical Sciences and Translational Medicine, Sapienza University of Rome, Sant\u2019Andrea Hospital, 00189 Rome, Italy"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Maria Carla","family":"Faugno","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Radiology Unit, Department of Surgical and Medical Sciences and Translational Medicine, Sapienza University of Rome, Sant\u2019Andrea Hospital, 00189 Rome, Italy"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Daniela","family":"Valanzuolo","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Radiology Unit, Department of Surgical and Medical Sciences and Translational Medicine, Sapienza University of Rome, Sant\u2019Andrea Hospital, 00189 Rome, Italy"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Edoardo","family":"Massaro","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Radiology Unit, Department of Surgical and Medical Sciences and Translational Medicine, Sapienza University of Rome, Sant\u2019Andrea Hospital, 00189 Rome, Italy"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Lorenzo Maria","family":"De Sanctis","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Radiology Unit, Department of Surgical and Medical Sciences and Translational Medicine, Sapienza University of Rome, Sant\u2019Andrea Hospital, 00189 Rome, Italy"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Elisa","family":"Zaccaria","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Radiology Unit, Department of Surgical and Medical Sciences and Translational Medicine, Sapienza University of Rome, Sant\u2019Andrea Hospital, 00189 Rome, Italy"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-4635-7999","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Marta","family":"Zerunian","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Radiology Unit, Department of Surgical and Medical Sciences and Translational Medicine, Sapienza University of Rome, Sant\u2019Andrea Hospital, 00189 Rome, Italy"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-1197-456X","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Domenico","family":"De Santis","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Radiology Unit, Department of Surgical and Medical Sciences and Translational Medicine, Sapienza University of Rome, Sant\u2019Andrea Hospital, 00189 Rome, Italy"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-7331-6901","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Michela","family":"Polici","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Radiology Unit, Department of Surgical and Medical Sciences and Translational Medicine, Sapienza University of Rome, Sant\u2019Andrea Hospital, 00189 Rome, Italy"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-4633-6760","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Tiziano","family":"Polidori","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Radiology Unit, Department of Surgical and Medical Sciences and Translational Medicine, Sapienza University of Rome, Sant\u2019Andrea Hospital, 00189 Rome, Italy"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-3091-7819","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Andrea","family":"Laghi","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Biomedical Sciences, Humanitas University, Pieve Emanuele, 20072 Milan, Italy"},{"name":"Department of Diagnostic Imaging, IRCCS Humanitas Research Hospital, Rozzano, 20089 Milan, Italy"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-9285-4764","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Damiano","family":"Caruso","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Radiology Unit, Department of Surgical and Medical Sciences and Translational Medicine, Sapienza University of Rome, Sant\u2019Andrea Hospital, 00189 Rome, Italy"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2025,6,30]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"94","DOI":"10.1016\/j.critrevonc.2016.12.002","article-title":"ECCO Essential Requirements for Quality Cancer Care: Soft Tissue Sarcoma in Adults and Bone Sarcoma. 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