Title:Myxofibrosarcoma: Clinical and Prognostic Value of MRI Features
VOLUME: 17 ISSUE: 2
Author(s):Paolo Spinnato*, Andrea Sambri, Tomohiro Fujiwara, Luca Ceccarelli, Roberta Clinca, Manuel R. Medellin, Massimiliano De Paolis, Davide M. Donati and Giuseppe Bianchi
Affiliation:Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, IRCCS Istituto Ortopedico Rizzoli, Bologna, Orthopaedic Oncology, IRCCS Istituto Ortopedico Rizzoli, Bologna, Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Okayama, Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, IRCCS Istituto Ortopedico Rizzoli, Bologna, Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, IRCCS Istituto Ortopedico Rizzoli, Bologna, Istituto Nacional de Cancerologia, Bogota, Department of Orthopaedics, AOSP Sant’Orsola Malpighi, Bologna, Orthopaedic Oncology, IRCCS Istituto Ortopedico Rizzoli, Bologna, Orthopaedic Oncology, IRCCS Istituto Ortopedico Rizzoli, Bologna
Keywords:Magnetic resonance imaging, sarcoma, soft tissue neoplasm, neoplasm invasivenes, prognosis, local neoplasm recurrence.
Abstract:Myxofibrosarcoma is one of the most common soft tissue sarcomas in the elderly. It is
characterized by an extremely high rate of local recurrence, higher than other soft tissue tumors,
and a relatively low risk of distant metastases.Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is the imaging
modality of choice for the assessment of myxofibrosarcoma, which plays a key role in the preoperative
setting of these patients. MRI features associated with the high risk of local recurrence are:
high myxoid matrix content (water-like appearance of the lesions), high grade of contrast enhancement
and presence of an infiltrative pattern (“tail sign”). On the other hand, MRI features associated
with worse sarcoma specific survival are: large size of the lesion, deep location, high grade of
contrast enhancement. Recognizing the above-mentioned imaging features of myxofibrosarcoma
may be helpful in stratifying the risk for local recurrence and disease-specific survival. Moreover,
the surgical planning should be adjusted according to the MRI features.
