STANDARD AND HIGH-RESOLUTION MAGNETIC-RESONANCE-IMAGING OF GLOMUS TUMORS OF TOES AND FINGERTIPS

Background: High-resolution magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of subung ual glomus tumors has been recently reported. Objective: Our purpose w as to compare high-resolution MRI and standard MRI for the diagnosis o f 44 glomus tumors of the toes and fingertips. Methods: Glomus tumors (11 cases) were first examined by MRT with a commercial surface coil ( set 1). Thirty-three other glomus tumors and one tumor from set 1 were then examined with a high-resolution module de-signed for skin imagin g (set 2). Results: All 34 glomus tumors were identified with MRI. The limits of the tumors were detected in 54% of set 1 and 100% of set 2. A capsule was present in most cases, but was incomplete or absent in eight cases. Subtypes of glomus tumors were more easily differentiated in set 2. Conclusion: Standard MRI was adequate to detect glomus tumo rs, but high-resolution MRT assessed tumor characteristics more accura tely.