title: Post-operative imaging of soft tissue sarcomas.
abstract: Soft tissue sarcomas are uncommon malignancies that have a high risk of local recurrence despite adequate initial surgery. The aim of follow-up imaging with any malignancy is to detect recurrence promptly so that treatment can be instigated at the earliest possible opportunity. In this review article, we discuss the imaging modalities that can be employed to detect local recurrence following surgery for an extremity soft tissue sarcoma. The role of radiographs, computed tomography, magnetic resonance imaging and positron emission tomography is reviewed followed by a discussion on the imaging modalities useful in the detection of metastatic disease. Finally, we present a robust pathway that is suggested for the follow-up of patients with an extremity soft tissue sarcoma.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, The Royal Orthopaedic Hospital, Birmingham, B31 2AP, UK. steven.james@roh.nhs.uk
authors.forename: S L J
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: James
authors.forename: A M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Davies
mesh_terms: D000465:Algorithms; D000671:Amputation, Surgical; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D003952:Diagnostic Imaging; D005121:Extremities; D006104:Granuloma, Plasma Cell / Q000175:diagnosis; D006801:Humans; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000556:secondary; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000473:pathology; D049268:Positron-Emission Tomography; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology; D011184:Postoperative Period; D019651:Plastic Surgery Procedures; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012509:Sarcoma / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery* / Q000628:therapy; D049291:Seroma / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology; D013524:Surgical Flaps; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed