PULMONARY-ARTERY SARCOMA - DIAGNOSIS AND POSTOPERATIVE FOLLOW-UP WITHGADOLINIUM-DIETHYLENETRIAMINE PENTAACETIC ACID-ENHANCED MAGNETIC-RESONANCE-IMAGING

Pulmonary artery sarcomas are infrequently encountered and are often m isdiagnosed before surgical exploration or autopsy. On clinical examin ation and conventional imaging studies, they are frequently mistaken f or pulmonary emboli. To our knowledge, this case report is the first t o describe the postoperative magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) appearan ce of residual disease of a pulmonary artery sarcoma and to assess the potential usefulness of MRI for monitoring such lesions postoperative ly. Contrast-enhanced MRI, a relatively noninvasive method, seems well suited for postsurgical follow-up of pulmonary artery sarcomas.