Malignant Fibrous Histiocytoma eMedicine Radiology

Description: Background: Malignant fibrous histiocytoma (MFH), described by O'Brien and Stout in 1964, is the most common soft tissue sarcoma of late adult life. Pathophysiology: Uncertain histogenesis and numerous subtypes make MFH a rather controversial entity. Researchers have postulated both histiocytic and primitive mesenchymal cell theories of origin. In general, the tumor contains both fibroblastlike and histiocytelike cells in varying proportions, with spindled and rounded cells exhibiting a storiform arrangement. Five histologic subtypes have been described including (1) storiform/pleomorphic (most common), (2) myxoid, (3) giant cell, (4) inflammatory (usually retroperitoneal), and (5) angiomatoid (often located more superficially than other varieties).