Neurotized Free Muscle Flaps can Produce MRI Changes Mimicking Tumour Recurrence

[摘要] Soft tissue sarcomas are investigated by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) both for initial staging and follow-up. Wedescribe the presence of increased signal on T2-weighted images caused by a neurotized muscle flap following reconstructivesurgery. This raised concern about possible sarcoma recurrence that was not clinically evident. On post-operative imagingof sarcomas the presence of recurrent tumour is indicated by a mass and high signal intensity on T2-weighted images.However, high signal changes in skeletal muscle on T2-weighted images are not specific. In this case, the free functioningmuscle transfer with neurotization of the flap mimicked recurrence on MR scan. High signal intensity on T2-weightedimages in muscle is an indication of either a physiological change or a pathological condition and must be taken incontext of the clinical picture.

[学科分类] 肿瘤学