Diffusion Weighted Magnetic Resonance in Imaging Younger Patients With Newly Diagnosed Bone or Soft Tissue Sarcomas

Diffusion weighted magnetic resonance imaging (DWI MRI) is a method that does not involve radiation and can be used to assess the primary tumor as well as to image the entire patient, from head to toe. Diffusion weighted MRI uses a strong motion probing gradient to detect the movement of water in tissue. Tissues that are composed of tightly packed cells, such as tumors, allow less water movement than tissues with loosely packed cells. As tumors respond to therapy they become necrotic and cells are less tightly packed. This change in water diffusivity can be quantitated using DWI. Therefore, DWI provides a non-invasive, non-ionizing, and quantitative method of assessing tumor response at a cellular level and does not depend on a change in tumor size