title: Radiation Therapy for Soft-Tissue Sarcomas: A Primer for Radiologists.
abstract: Radiation therapy (RT) plays an important role in multimodality therapy for soft-tissue sarcomas (STS). RT treatment paradigms have evolved significantly in recent years, and many different complex RT modalities are commonly used in STS. These include external-beam RT, intensity-modulated RT, stereotactic body RT, and brachytherapy. Imaging is essential throughout the treatment process. Plain radiographs, computed tomography (CT), magnetic resonance imaging, ultrasonography, and positron emission tomography/CT all play potential roles in the management of STS. Before RT, high-quality imaging is needed to direct management decisions, both by global tumor staging and detailed assessment of the extent of local disease. At the time of RT, precise planning imaging is required to delineate tumor volumes, including gross tumor volume, clinical target volume, and planning target volume, which are used to direct therapy. In addition, imaging at the time of RT must outline the location of adjacent vital organs, to optimize treatment efficacy and minimize toxicity. After RT, imaging is needed to assess the patient for tumor response to therapy. In addition, imaging at regular intervals is often required to monitor for recurrence of disease and potential complications of therapy. The purpose of this review is to familiarize radiologists with the indications for RT in STS, common therapeutic modalities used, roles of imaging throughout the treatment process, and complications of therapy.
authors.affiliation: From the Departments of Radiology (J.R.W., S.H.T., J.P.J., M.H.R., A.B.S., N.H.R.), Pathology (J.L.H.), and Radiation Oncology (E.H.B.), Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, 75 Francis St, Boston, MA 02115; and Department of Imaging (S.H.T., J.P.J., M.H.R., A.B.S., N.H.R.) and Department of Radiation Oncology, Center for Sarcoma and Bone Oncology (E.H.B.), Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Mass.
authors.forename: Jeremy R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Wortman
authors.affiliation: From the Departments of Radiology (J.R.W., S.H.T., J.P.J., M.H.R., A.B.S., N.H.R.), Pathology (J.L.H.), and Radiation Oncology (E.H.B.), Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, 75 Francis St, Boston, MA 02115; and Department of Imaging (S.H.T., J.P.J., M.H.R., A.B.S., N.H.R.) and Department of Radiation Oncology, Center for Sarcoma and Bone Oncology (E.H.B.), Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Mass.
authors.forename: Sree Harsha
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Tirumani
authors.affiliation: From the Departments of Radiology (J.R.W., S.H.T., J.P.J., M.H.R., A.B.S., N.H.R.), Pathology (J.L.H.), and Radiation Oncology (E.H.B.), Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, 75 Francis St, Boston, MA 02115; and Department of Imaging (S.H.T., J.P.J., M.H.R., A.B.S., N.H.R.) and Department of Radiation Oncology, Center for Sarcoma and Bone Oncology (E.H.B.), Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Mass.
authors.forename: Jyothi P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Jagannathan
authors.affiliation: From the Departments of Radiology (J.R.W., S.H.T., J.P.J., M.H.R., A.B.S., N.H.R.), Pathology (J.L.H.), and Radiation Oncology (E.H.B.), Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, 75 Francis St, Boston, MA 02115; and Department of Imaging (S.H.T., J.P.J., M.H.R., A.B.S., N.H.R.) and Department of Radiation Oncology, Center for Sarcoma and Bone Oncology (E.H.B.), Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Mass.
authors.forename: Michael H
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Rosenthal
authors.affiliation: From the Departments of Radiology (J.R.W., S.H.T., J.P.J., M.H.R., A.B.S., N.H.R.), Pathology (J.L.H.), and Radiation Oncology (E.H.B.), Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, 75 Francis St, Boston, MA 02115; and Department of Imaging (S.H.T., J.P.J., M.H.R., A.B.S., N.H.R.) and Department of Radiation Oncology, Center for Sarcoma and Bone Oncology (E.H.B.), Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Mass.
authors.forename: Atul B
authors.initials: AB
authors.lastname: Shinagare
authors.affiliation: From the Departments of Radiology (J.R.W., S.H.T., J.P.J., M.H.R., A.B.S., N.H.R.), Pathology (J.L.H.), and Radiation Oncology (E.H.B.), Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, 75 Francis St, Boston, MA 02115; and Department of Imaging (S.H.T., J.P.J., M.H.R., A.B.S., N.H.R.) and Department of Radiation Oncology, Center for Sarcoma and Bone Oncology (E.H.B.), Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Mass.
authors.forename: Jason L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Hornick
authors.affiliation: From the Departments of Radiology (J.R.W., S.H.T., J.P.J., M.H.R., A.B.S., N.H.R.), Pathology (J.L.H.), and Radiation Oncology (E.H.B.), Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, 75 Francis St, Boston, MA 02115; and Department of Imaging (S.H.T., J.P.J., M.H.R., A.B.S., N.H.R.) and Department of Radiation Oncology, Center for Sarcoma and Bone Oncology (E.H.B.), Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Mass.
authors.forename: Elizabeth H
authors.initials: EH
authors.lastname: Baldini
authors.affiliation: From the Departments of Radiology (J.R.W., S.H.T., J.P.J., M.H.R., A.B.S., N.H.R.), Pathology (J.L.H.), and Radiation Oncology (E.H.B.), Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, 75 Francis St, Boston, MA 02115; and Department of Imaging (S.H.T., J.P.J., M.H.R., A.B.S., N.H.R.) and Department of Radiation Oncology, Center for Sarcoma and Bone Oncology (E.H.B.), Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Mass.
authors.forename: Nikhil H
authors.initials: NH
authors.lastname: Ramaiya
mesh_terms: D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D018222:Desmoid Tumors / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000532:radiotherapy; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods; D009367:Neoplasm Staging / Q000379:methods; D011878:Radiotherapy / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods; D012208:Rhabdomyosarcoma / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000532:radiotherapy; D012509:Sarcoma / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000532:radiotherapy* / Q000628:therapy; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000379:methods; D014463:Ultrasonography / Q000379:methods