Ultrasound diagnosis of soft-tissue tumours in the hand and forearm. A prospective study

Abstract

Purpose: The aim of this prospective investigation was to evaluate the accuracy of certain ultrasound characteristics in diagnosing 5 common types of soft-tissue tumour in the hand and forearm.

Material and methods: The study comprised 50 soft-tissue tumours, diagnosed by ultrasonography or histopathology as belonging to one of 5 soft-tissue tumour groups. The reported ultrasound diagnoses and the histopathological results were compared, and their sensitivity was calculated. A statistical model was applied to the prospective material. The first and second diagnostic alternatives were calculated for each specific tumour and for the whole prospective material. In the second part of this study, the prospective material was combined with a retrospective material of 96 tumours from a previous study. The combined material was analysed and the accuracy of the first and second diagnostic alternatives for each tumour and for the whole material was calculated.

Results: The sensitivity for the prospective material was 84%. The correct diagnosis predicted by the model for the combined material was 56% for the first alternative and 79% when the second alternative was included.

Conclusion: Ultrasonography is useful in the diagnosis of soft-tissue tumours of the hand.