Synovial sarcoma of the soft tissues: prognostic significance of imaging features.
OBJECTIVE
This study assessed the prognostic value of computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance (MR) imaging features in synovial sarcoma of the soft tissues.


METHODS
CT and MR imaging studies were performed in 30 patients with pathologically confirmed synovial sarcoma of the soft tissues. CT and MR imaging findings obtained by 2 radiologists with agreement by consensus were compared for histopathologic features including tumor grade. Univariate analyses were conducted to clarify the impact of imaging findings on overall survival with a medium duration of 32 months. Multivariate analysis was estimated using a Cox proportional hazards model with the relative risk of each variable.


RESULTS
Statistically significant imaging findings favoring a diagnosis of high-grade tumor included proximal distribution (P < 0.01), large tumor size (>10 cm, P < 0.05), the absence of calcification (P < 0.05), tumor possessing cyst (P < 0.01), the presence of hemorrhage (P < 0.05), and the presence of triple signal pattern (P < 0.05). Univariate analysis showed that proximal distribution (P < 0.05), tumor size larger than 5 cm (P < 0.01), the absence of calcification (P < 0.01), the presence of hemorrhage (P < 0.05), and the presence of triple signal pattern (P < 0.05) had a significant association with the disease-free survival (DFS). Multiple logistic regression models revealed that tumor size larger than 10 cm had a significant impact on the DFS with relative risk of 18.8 (P < 0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
CT and MR imaging studies allow prognosis prediction in patients with synovial sarcoma of the soft tissues.
Tateishi
Ukihide
U
Division of Diagnostic Radiology, National Cancer Center Hospital and Research Institute, 5-1-1 Tsukiji, Chuo-Ku, Tokyo 104-0045, Japan. utateish@ncc.go.jp
Hasegawa
Tadashi
T
Beppu
Yasuo
Y
Satake
Mitsuo
M
Moriyama
Noriyuki
N
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002648:Child; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011379:Prognosis; D013584:Sarcoma, Synovial / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000401:mortality / Q000628:therapy; D012983:Soft Tissue Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000401:mortality / Q000628:therapy; D015996:Survival Rate; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed