Korean J Radiol.  2000 Mar;1(1):56-59. 10.3348/kjr.2000.1.1.56.

Pulmonary Metastases of Alveolar Soft-Part Sarcoma: CT Findings in Three Patients

• Choi JI
• Goo JM
• Seo JB
• Kim HY
• Park CK
• Im JG

• KMID: 1777297
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.3348/kjr.2000.1.1.56

Abstract

Alveolar soft-part sarcoma is a rare soft tissue sarcoma of young adults with unknown histogenesis, and the organ most frequently involved in metastasis is the lung. We report the CT findings of three patients of pulmonary metastases of alveolar soft-part sarcoma, which manifested as clearly enhanced pulmonary nodules or masses. On enhanced scans, some of the masses were seen to contain dilated and tortuous intratumoral vessels.

Keyword

Lung neoplasms, CT; Lung neoplasms, metastases; Lung neoplasm, diagnosis

MeSH Terms

Adult
Case Report
Female
Human
Lung Neoplasms/blood supply/*radiography/*secondary
Male
Sarcoma, Alveolar Soft Part/blood supply/*radiography/*secondary
*Tomography, X-Ray Computed

Figure

• 

  Fig. 1 A-32-year-old woman with a history of excision of alveolar soft part sarcoma involving the left foot 5 years earlier. A. Enhanced CT scan shows a well-defined, enhanced nodule. Clearly enhanced tubular structures are seen within the lesion (arrowheads), suggesting dilated vessels (attenuation: 9.2±8 H). B. Resected lung specimen shows a 2×1.5×1.5 cm sized nodule surrounded by pseudocapsule (arrows). C. Light microscopic examination demonstrates a clearly circunscribed nodule containing dilated vascular structures (arrows) which correspond to the enhanced tubular structures seen in A. The ruler in the right side of the picture is graduated in millimeters.

• 

  Fig. 2 A-31-year-old woman who presented with mass in the left leg, cough, and blood tinged sputum. Enhanced CT scan reveals multiple metastatic nodules in both lungs, with variable degrees of enhancement. Note the presence of an enhanced tubular vascular structure within a mass in the right lung (arrowheads).

Reference

1. Radin DR, Ralls PW, Boswell WD, Lundell C, Hallas JM. Alveolar soft tissue sarcoma: CT findings. J Comput Assist Tomogr. 1984. 8:344–345.

2. Lorigan JG, O'Keeffe FN, Evans HL, Wallace S. The radiologic manifestations of alveolar soft-part sarcoma. AJR. 1989. 153:335–339.

3. Lieberman PH, Brennan MF, Kimmel M, Erlandson RA, Garin-Chesa P, Flehinger BY. Alveolar soft-part sarcoma: a clinicopathologic study of half a century. Cancer. 1989. 63:1–13.

4. Cordier JF, Bailly C, Tabone E, Cheix F, Brune J, Touraine R. Alveolar soft-part sarcoma presenting as asymptomatic pulmonary nodules: report of a case with ultrastructural diagnosis. Thorax. 1985. 40:203–204.

5. Daly B, Cheung H, Gaines A, Bradley MJ, Metreweli C. Imaging of alveolar soft-part sarcoma. Clin Radiol. 1992. 46:253–256.

6. Christopherson WM, Foote FW Jr, Stewart FW. Alveolar soft-part sarcoma: structurally characteristic tumors of uncertain histogenesis. Cancer. 1952. 5:100–111.

7. Hurt R, Bates M, Harrison W. Alveolar soft-part sarcoma. Thorax. 1982. 37:877–886.

8. Kodama K, Doi O, Higashiyama M, et al. Surgery for multiple metastases from alveolar soft-part sarcoma. Surg Today. 1997. 27:806–811.