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Sarcomas

Contemporary Imaging in Sarcoma

Department of Radiology, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, New York, New York, USA

Key Words. Sarcoma • Functional imaging • Positron emission tomography (PET) • Magnetic resonance imaging

Correspondence: Jonathan Landa, D.O., Department of Radiology, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, 1275 York Avenue, New York, New York 10021, USA. Telephone: 212-639-3774; Fax: 212-717-3234; e-mail: landaj{at}mskcc.org

Received August 20, 2009; accepted for publication August 31, 2009; first published online in THE ONCOLOGIST Express on September 29, 2009.

Disclosures

Jonathan Landa: None; Lawrence H. Schwartz: Consultant/advisory role: Cancer and Leukemia Group B (CALGB), Sarcoma Alliance for Research through Collaboration (SARC); Research funding/contracted research: AstraZeneca.

Section editor Jaap Verweij has disclosed no financial relationships relevant to the content of this article.

The content of this article has been reviewed by independent peer reviewers to ensure that it is balanced, objective, and free from commercial bias.

Sarcomas are a heterogeneous group of >50 subtypes of neoplasm. It is imperative to obtain appropriate imaging of these tumors in order to adequately assess, characterize, and stage bone and soft tissue sarcomas. Anatomic imaging such as radiographs, computed tomography, and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) remain the foundation for both biopsy planning and postoperative evaluation of these neoplasms. However, anatomic imaging may not be entirely accurate in the evaluation of treatment response. Newer techniques, such ¹⁸F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography, are being used to evaluate distant metastases. Newer radiopharmaceuticals, such as ¹⁸F-fluorodeoxythymidine, are being developed to assist in the differentiation between benign and low-grade malignant neoplasms. Newer functional imaging techniques, such as dynamic contrast-enhanced MRI and diffusion-weighted imaging, among others, are being developed to evaluate treatment response.