MR-IMAGING AND SPECTROSCOPY FOR PROGNOSTIC EVALUATION IN SOFT-TISSUE SARCOMAS

PURPOSE: To enable prediction of tumor response to a particular treatm ent. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The authors studied the value of hydrogen- 1 T2 and phosphorus-31 magnetic resonance (MR) spectroscopic metabolic determinations as indicators of prognosis in 20 humans and 10 dogs wi th soft-tissue sarcomas. All patients underwent combined fractionated radiation therapy and hyperthermia. Surgical resection of the entire t umor in humans allowed comparison of pretherapy T2 and MR spectroscopi c parameters with subsequent histologic findings. Long-term clinical f ollow-up (no surgical intervention) was available with the dogs and al lowed comparison of pretherapy pH with the duration of local relapse-f ree survival. RESULTS: A relationship exists between pretherapy pH and T2 and ultimate tumor necrosis in humans and pretherapy pH and time e lapsed until local failure in dogs. CONCLUSION: MR imaging and spectro scopy could be useful in the prognosis of patients with soft-tissue sa rcomas before therapy is initiated.