USE OF MRI IN EVALUATING POSTOPERATIVE CHANGES IN PATIENTS WITH BONE AND SOFT-TISSUE TUMORS

We reviewed the clinical, surgical and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI ) findings in 80 patients who underwent resection of primary benign or malignant bone or soft tissue tumors. There were 18 benign and 62 mal ignant tumors. Although 31 patients were originally thought to have re currence, on review only 20 patients were considered to have recurred. Of these, three were found only to have postoperative changes at surg ery. Seventeen patients actually had recurrence of tumor. We believe t hat the presence of an actual mass lesion on MRI is the cornerstone fo r the correct diagnosis of recurrent tumor.