Clinical features that differentiate a lipoma from other soft tissue masses in primary care include its typical presentation as a soft, mobile, painless, and slow-growing subcutaneous lump. Lipomas are usually well-circumscribed, non-tender, and have a characteristic doughy or rubbery consistency on palpation, distinguishing them from firmer or fixed masses that may suggest malignancy or other pathologies NICE NG12.
They commonly occur in the subcutaneous tissue and are not usually associated with skin changes, systemic symptoms, or rapid growth, which are red flags warranting further investigation or referral NICE NG12.
In contrast, other soft tissue masses may present with pain, rapid enlargement, fixation to underlying structures, or overlying skin changes such as ulceration or erythema, which are less typical of lipomas NICE NG12.
Imaging characteristics described in the literature support these clinical findings: lipomas typically appear as homogeneous, well-defined fatty masses on ultrasound or MRI, without invasive features, whereas other soft tissue tumors may show heterogeneity, irregular borders, or infiltration Bancroft et al. 2006Bancroft et al. 2013.
Therefore, in primary care, the combination of a soft, mobile, painless, slow-growing lump with typical imaging features strongly suggests a lipoma, helping to differentiate it from other soft tissue masses NICE NG12 Bancroft et al. 2006Bancroft et al. 2013.