[Soft-tissue chondroma of the hand: a case report and analysis of diagnostic procedures for extra-osseous cartilaginous lesions of the hand].

We report a case of a chondroma found in the soft tissues of the hand. Reports in the literature show that this cartilaginous tumor is a rare slowly-evolving benign tumor. Diagnosis is difficult as standard x-rays show variable images depending on the degree of calcification. Magnetic resonance imaging is helpful in orienting the diagnosis and delimiting the tumor but is not always useful in determining its exact origin. Positive diagnosis is provided by the pathology examination, but confirmation may be difficult to establish. We stress the importance of repeated microtrauma in the development of soft-tissue chondroma. Surgical treatment is the only successful solution but recurrence is not exceptional.