The role of magnetic resonance imaging in the evaluation of Ewing sarcoma

Abstract

The experience with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in 27 patients with Ewing sarcoma is reported and compared with computed tomography (CT) and plain films. Plain radiography proved to be the best imaging method to asses probable histological diagnosis in all cases (n=6). For the evaluation of chemotherapeutic response (n=4), CT and MRI gave the same information about the variation in size of the tumor. In this small series, the high signal in T2 weighted images was not altered significantly by therapy. In preoperative evaluation (n=14), MRI gave better information than CT of soft tissue involvement and extension within the bone marrow in two cases each. The ability of MRI to accurately define extension through the epiphyseal plate in two cases permitted limb salvage which otherwise would not have been possible. In the long-term follow-up (n=12), three patients without recurrence one year after therapy showed a low signal in the surgical area in T2 weighted images. Nine patients had a high signal in T2 weighted images: four were reactive lesions, two had obvious recurrence, and one was a hematoma. In the two remaining cases plain films and CT were normal, in the presence of both active tumor and reactive lesions. It was not possible with MRI to differentiate active tumor from reactive change, even after Gd-DTPA infusion.