Table 5.

Summary of the paraspinal tumours-like lesions discussed in this article with their clinical and imaging features

Tumour mimics	Notable clinical signs	US (For superficial masses)	Notable CT pattern	Notable MRI pattern
Traumatic disorders	History of trauma	Haematoma: Compressible fluid collection Low echogenicity Septa Fat necrosis: Compressible fluid collection Morel lavallée: Compressible fluid collection	Haematoma: Hyperdensity	Haematoma: Signal changes on T1 and T2 with evolving breakdown products Low signal on T2WI Blooming artefact of T2WI Fat necrosis: Fibrous tissue (low signal) intermixed with adipose tissue (high signal) Peripheral enhancement Morel lavallée: Fluid collection
Degenerative disorders	> 50 y Spinal degenerative disorders Lumbar predominance	–	Degenerative features: Vertebral narrowing, facet hypertrophy, sclerosis, osteophyte	Bursitis: fluid-like signal Cystic formation Fibrous nodules: Low signal on all sequences
Infection	Increase with age	–	Erosive facet joint Erosive vertebral endplate	Inflammation: Imaging psoas sign Abscess: Rim enhancement Central attenuation
HEM	Myeloproliferative neoplasm Chronic haematological disorders	–	Multifocal—bilateral Skeletal changes related with chronic anaemia	Smoothy loculated Homogeneous signal Fatty replacement and iron deposition in older masses
MOC	History of trauma Repeated minor injuries Rapidly growing painful	–	Peripheral zonal ossification	Change with time

y, years; WI, weighted imaging