Imaging of sarcomas of pelvic bones

Sarcomas are the most common nonhematologic primary malignancies of bones in the pelvis. Chondrosarcoma, osteosarcoma, and Ewing's sarcoma are the most common sarcomas to originate from the pelvic bones. Various imaging modalities such as magnetic resonance imaging and computed tomography play an important role in the detection, characterization, and staging of these lesions. Biopsy, usually performed with imaging guidance, is essential for the histologic diagnosis of these tumors and for planning therapeutic options. Despite considerable advances in treatment options, sarcomas in the pelvic bones generally are associated with poorer outcomes than sarcomas in the appendicular skeleton because of the larger size of the lesions at the time of discovery and the difficulty of obtaining a wide surgical resection margin. In this review, we discuss the various types of pelvic bone sarcomas and the role of imaging in patients with these lesions.