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Purpose: To determine the magnetic resonance (MR) imaging findings in recurrent glomus tumors of the fingertips., Materials and Methods: Twenty-four consecutive patients with recurrent pain after previous excision of a glomus tumor of the fingertip underwent MR imaging studies and surgery. T1-weighted spin-echo MR images were obtained in each patient before and after intravenous injection of contrast material; T2-weighted spin-echo and three-dimensional gradient-recalled echo images were also obtained. MR angiography was performed in four patients. Postsurgical histopathologic analysis revealed recurrent glomus tumors in 22 patients. Signal intensity, enhancement, and margins of the scar tissue and the recurrent tumors at MR were assessed., Results: The postsurgical scars were depicted in 21 (88%) of 24 patients with all sequences but were best demonstrated on gradient-recalled echo MR images. Seven patients had undergone multiple surgical procedures and had extensive scar tissue and, in one case, a neuroma. In all patients, MR imaging revealed a nodule compatible with the diagnosis of a recurrent glomus tumor. In 13 (54%) of 24 patients, the nodule had typical features of a glomus tumor. In eight (33%) of 24 patients, the tumors had low signal intensity or isointensity compared with the nail bed on T2-weighted images. In six (25%) of 24 patients, the tumors had faint enhancement after intravenous gadolinium chelate administration. The margins of the tumors were blurred by scar tissue in nine of 24 cases., Conclusion: MR imaging can aid in the evaluation of recurrent glomus tumors.

Background: High-resolution magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of subungual glomus tumors has been recently reported., Objective: Our purpose was to compare high-resolution MRI and standard MRI for the diagnosis of 44 glomus tumors of the toes and fingertips., Methods: Glomus tumors (11 cases) were first examined by MRI 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 designed for skin imaging (set 2)., Results: All 44 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 tumors, but high-resolution MRI assessed tumor characteristics more accurately.

Purpose: To determine the magnetic resonance (MR) imaging features of subungual glomus tumors., Materials and Methods: Thirty-one patients with a clinical suspicion of glomus tumor and 10 control subjects underwent MR imaging at 1.5 T. MR images of normal glomus bodies of a cadaver finger were correlated with histologic slices. With a local surface gradient coil, the pixel size reached 117 microns in one direction. Relaxation times were measured. Gadoterate meglumine was injected in 19 patients., Results: Normal glomus bodies were visualized in the reticular dermis of the nail bed. Twenty-seven of 28 pathologically confirmed glomus tumors were detected with MR imaging. A peripheral capsule was present in most tumors. The nail matrix was compressed in 13 cases. The authors were able to differentiate three subtypes of glomus tumors (vascular, solid, and myxoid) on the basis of relaxation times and enhancement characteristics. Four patients had mucoid cysts or angioma in the nail bed., Conclusion: MR imaging can help accurately define the location and limits of glomus tumors before excision.