title: Multiple metastases of soft tissue visualized by technetium-99m-methylene diphosphonate scintigraphy: a case report.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Lungs and liver are the most common sites of colorectal cancer metastases after regional lymph nodes, but metastases to unusual sites are reported. Heterotopic bone formation in soft tissues from colorectal cancer is a rare metastatic occurrence.
  
  
  METHODS
  We present the case of a 29-year-old Caucasian man affected by colon adenocarcinoma with multiple soft tissue metastases visualized by magnetic resonance imaging, computed tomography scan and scintigraphic bone scan. We suppose that these findings can be due to the fact that the tracer is concentrated in the ossification nidus of soft metastases.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our experience suggests that, in the presence of colon adenocarcinoma, a bone scan could be a sensible tool to highlight bone lesions or heterotopic bone nidus in soft tissues and that any subcutaneous lesion should be resected to avoid underestimating a potential malignancy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgical Sciences, "Sapienza" - University of Rome, Viale Regina Elena 324, 00161, Rome, Italy. maurlib@tin.it.
authors.forename: Mauro
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Liberatore
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgical Sciences, "Sapienza" - University of Rome, Viale Regina Elena 324, 00161, Rome, Italy. megna_valentina@virgilio.it.
authors.forename: Valentina
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Megna
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgical Sciences, "Sapienza" - University of Rome, Viale Regina Elena 324, 00161, Rome, Italy. g_patrizi@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Gregorio
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Patrizi
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgical Sciences, "Sapienza" - University of Rome, Viale Regina Elena 324, 00161, Rome, Italy. dome.46@hotmail.it.
authors.forename: Domenico
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Giannotti
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgical Sciences, "Sapienza" - University of Rome, Viale Regina Elena 324, 00161, Rome, Italy. camilla.ps@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Camilla Proietti
authors.initials: CP
authors.lastname: Semproni
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgical Sciences, "Sapienza" - University of Rome, Viale Regina Elena 324, 00161, Rome, Italy. stefyrebon@libero.it.
authors.forename: Stefania
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Rebonato
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgical Sciences, "Sapienza" - University of Rome, Viale Regina Elena 324, 00161, Rome, Italy. flavio.barchetti@live.it.
authors.forename: Flavio
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Barchetti
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgical Sciences, "Sapienza" - University of Rome, Viale Regina Elena 324, 00161, Rome, Italy. pietro.gallo@uniroma1.it.
authors.forename: Pietro
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Gallo
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgical Sciences, "Sapienza" - University of Rome, Viale Regina Elena 324, 00161, Rome, Italy. giandomenico.miscusi@uniroma1.it.
authors.forename: Giandomenico
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Miscusi
mesh_terms: D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology*; D000328:Adult; D003110:Colonic Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology*; D004164:Diphosphonates; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D015609:Organotechnetium Compounds; D011877:Radionuclide Imaging; D012983:Soft Tissue Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000556:secondary*; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed
chemical_list: D004164:Diphosphonates; D015609:Organotechnetium Compounds; C114890:technetium 99m methylene bisphosphonate