• Common tumor-like lesion arising from soft tissue, caused by mucoid degeneration of joint capsule, tendon or tendon sheath
• Small cyst-like mass (no epithelial lining) near joint capsule or tendon sheath
• Common site is wrist, also hand and foot, rarely in intratendinous region
• May cause pain, weakness, bone changes, partial disability of joint
• May be due to injury or overuse of joint
• May be multilocular
• Fluid is similar to synovial fluid

• 43 year old woman with intratendinous ganglion cyst of semimembranosus tendon (Br J Radiol 2010;83:e79)
• 57 year old man with subperiosteal ganglion cyst of tibia (J Bone Joint Surg Br 1999;81:643)
• 63 year old woman with ganglion cyst of temporomandibular joint with intracranial extension (J Neurosurg 2012;116:310)

• Usually does not communicate with joint space; rarely is intraosseus (medial malleolus of tibia)

• Dense fibrous tissue, with no synovial or epithelial lining; inflammation may be associated with cyst rupture

Ganglion cyst

Cystic space lined by histiocytes and granulation tissue with moderate acute and chronic inflammation of cyst wall

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