Use of MRI in evaluating postoperative changes in patients with bone and soft tissue tumors.

We reviewed the clinical, surgical and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) findings in 80 patients who underwent resection of primary benign or malignant bone or soft tissue tumors. There were 18 benign and 62 malignant tumors. Although 31 patients were originally thought to have recurrence, on review only 20 patients were considered to have recurred. Of these, three were found only to have postoperative changes at surgery. Seventeen patients actually had recurrence of tumor. We believe that the presence of an actual mass lesion on MRI is the cornerstone for the correct diagnosis of recurrent tumor.