Soft-tissue sarcomas are encountered only infrequently, but their diagnosis is important because the long-term prognosis is usually good if the tumour is properly managed. The role of various imaging modalities in the evaluation of these neoplasms is discussed, with special emphasis on magnetic resonance imaging. The authors review the importance of imaging in tumour detection, characterization, staging and surveillance after therapy, and they emphasize the critical subject of proper biopsy technique.