Magnetic resonance imaging: a new tool in the diagnosis of tumours of the nail apparatus

Abstract

Tumours of the nail apparatus are often the subject of diagnostic dilemma. Until now, no reliable imaging methods have been available to assess these lesions correctly. We report the results of high and very high-resolution magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), which have been correlated with the anatomical findings in 14 cases of nail apparatus pathology, and discuss the possible contribution of MRI to diagnosis. With very high-resolution MRI, accurate analysis of the anatomy of the nail apparatus is possible, and lesions as small as 1 mm can be detected. An expansive process can be excluded when results are negative. Glomus tumour, mucoid pseudocyst, fibrokeratoma, and exostosis can be differentiated because of their different MRI characteristics. This is of importance when the exact nature of a subungual tumour cannot be determined by clinical findings alone. Measurement, determination of the exact localization of the tumour, and the study of its relationship to the other structures, can provide guidance for subsequent surgical procedures. MRI is reliable and accurate in the delineation of lesions, and provides a new tool for the investigation of pathology of the nail apparatus.

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Feasibility study of 3-T MR imaging of the skin

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Ultrasound Imaging of Nails

“…There is an interest in noninvasive methods to supplement clinical examination of the nails. Traditionally, magnetic resonance (MR) scanning has been used for this, but because this requires specialized equipment it is not broadly available [2]. Ultrasound may provide an appropriate and more widely available alternative.…”