HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS		QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

This Article Figures Only Full Text Full Text (PDF) CME Test (opens in a new window) Submit a response Alert me when this article is cited Alert me when eLetters are posted Alert me if a correction is posted Citation Map Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Frazier, A. A. Articles by Galvin, J. R. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Frazier, A. A. Articles by Galvin, J. R. Related Collections Chest Radiology

From the Archives of the AFIP

Pleuropulmonary Synovial Sarcoma¹

¹ From the Departments of Radiologic Pathology (A.A.F., J.R.G.) and Pulmonary and Mediastinal Pathology (T.J.F.), Armed Forces Institute of Pathology, 14th St and Alaska Ave NW, Washington, DC 20306-6000; and the Department of Diagnostic Radiology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, Md (A.A.F., R.D.P., J.R.G.). Received December 15, 2005; revision requested January 18, 2006 and received February 15; accepted February 20. All authors have no financial relationships to disclose. Address correspondence to A.A.F. (e-mail: frazier{at}afip.osd.mil).

Pleuropulmonary synovial sarcoma (PPSS) is increasingly recognized as a subtype of sarcoma because of the recent identification of a distinctive chromosomal translocation specific to synovial sarcoma. Soft-tissue synovial sarcoma is far more common than PPSS and typically develops in para-articular locations of the extremities; affects young and middle-aged adults, with no difference in distribution between the sexes; and has well-documented radiologic manifestations. PPSS may arise in the chest wall, heart, mediastinum, pleura, or lung, and it shares patient demographics and several imaging features with its soft-tissue counterpart. Patients present with a cough, chest pain, or dyspnea. On chest radiographs, PPSS typically appears as a sharply marginated mass with uniform opacity, based either in the pleura or in the lung, and often accompanied by an ipsilateral pleural effusion. Computed tomographic images show a well-circumscribed heterogeneously enhanced lesion without associated involvement of bone and without calcifications (except in the case of a chest wall primary tumor). Magnetic resonance imaging provides superior demonstration of nodular soft tissue and multilocular fluid-filled internal components of PPSS, in addition to peripheral rim enhancement after the intravenous administration of a gadolinium-based contrast material such as gadopentetate dimeglumine. Current treatment consists of surgical resection followed by chemotherapy, radiation therapy, or both.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				J.-J. Hung, T.-Y. Chou, C.-H. Sun, J.-S. Liu, and W.-H. Hsu Primary synovial sarcoma of the posterior chest wall. Ann. Thorac. Surg., June 1, 2008; 85(6): 2120 - 2122. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				J. R. Galvin Invited Commentary RadioGraphics, May 1, 2008; 28(3): 817 - 818. [Full Text] [PDF]