Tissue and Osseous Sarcomas

The aim of this retrospective analysis was to describe our clinical experience for fluorine-18 (F) fluorodeoxglucose (FDG) positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) in patients with soft tissue and osseous sarcoma. Total of 26 F-FDG PET/CT scans were evaluated in 17 patients (7 osteosarcoma, 5 Ewing’s sarcoma, 3 uterine sarcoma and 2 rhabdomyosarcoma) in different stages of disease. F-FDG PET/CT was applied on postoperative period except for one patient. The results of F-FDG PET/CT, conventional imaging modalities (CT and/or MRI) and clinical follow-up data were reviewed retrospectively. The range of the period between conventional imaging modalities and F-FDG PET/CT was 1-6 months. The mean follow-up period was 3.8±0.2 years. The findings of CT and/or MRI and F-FDG PET/CT were compared on the patient basis. Concordance was seen in 7 of 17 patients and discordance in 10 of 17 patients. In the concordant group, results were normal in 4 of 7 patients. Local recurrence or distant metastases did not seen in these patients during the follow-up period. In one patient who had undergone 18F-FDG PET/CT for preoperative staging, both of F-FDG PET/CT and CT examinations showed the primary lesion on the clavicula. Distant metastases (liver, lung, lymph nodes) were defined with the 18F-FDG PET/CT and conventional imaging modalities in two patients. In the discordant group, F-FDG PET/CT scans were normal in 4 patients who had multiple nodules on the both lungs in CT. These patients were followed up in remission. Local recurrence and distant metastases (bone, peritonium, lymph nodes) which could not be detected by conventional imaging modalities were seen in three patients, respectively. In this retrospective analysis we concluded that F-FDG PET/CT is a functional imaging modality which can be used successfully in addition to conventional imaging modalities in soft tissue and osseous sarcomas.