MAGNETIC-RESONANCE-IMAGING OF SOFT-TISSUE EXPANDERS USED IN THE MANAGEMENT OF MUSCULOSKELETAL SARCOMAS

A soft tissue expander is surgically inserted into the body to displac e radiosensitive organs from the treatment field in a small number of patients receiving radiotherapy for musculoskeletal sarcoma. MRI is ro utinely used to monitor the response to the radiotherapy, local recurr ence and complications of treatment. This study retrospectively review s MRI of soft tissue expanders in seven patients with musculoskeletal sarcomas; six arising in the pelvis and one in the retroperitoneum. In the absence of an appropriate clinical history, the soft tissue expan der may be mistaken for a pathological fluid collection such as absces s, post-operative seroma or even recurrent tumour. MRI of the soft tis sue expanders and potential errors in image interpretation are illustr ated.