Which of the following statements about the diagnosis of chest wall tumors is/are correct?

B. Firmness and fixation to underlying bone and muscle are important to note in the physical examination as aids to diagnosis.

C. In general, chest wall tumors are slow growing and produce symptoms late in their course.

D. CT is the most useful imaging study for making the diagnosis and for planning surgical resection of chest wall tumors.

DISCUSSION: Seventy-five per cent of patients present with a slow-growing, painless chest wall mass. A firm mass that is fixed to an underlying rib is more likely to be of bony or cartilaginous origin. Conversely, soft, mobile tumors are more likely to be of soft tissue origin. CT defines depth of invasion and extent of tumor and is the most useful imaging modality. Angiography should be employed selectively, primarily for very large and vascular tumors.