INternational Soft Tissue saRcoma ConsorTium (INSTRuCT) consensus statement: Imaging recommendations for the management of rhabdomyosarcoma
Reineke A. Schoot, Princess Máxima Center for Pediatric Oncology, Utrecht, the Netherlands. Electronic address: R.A.Schoot-3@prinsesmaximacentrum.nl.
Roelof van Ewijk, Princess Máxima Center for Pediatric Oncology, Utrecht, the Netherlands. Electronic address: R.vanEwijk-2@prinsesmaximacentrum.nl.
Anna-Anais von Witzleben, Institute of Radiology Olgahospital, Zentrum für Kinder-, Jugend- und Frauenmedizin, Klinikum Stuttgart, Stuttgart, Germany. Electronic address: a.witzleben@klinikum-stuttgart.de.
Simon C. Kao, Department of Radiology, The University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine, Iowa City, IA, USA. Electronic address: simon-kao@uiowa.edu.
J H. Merks, Princess Máxima Center for Pediatric Oncology, Utrecht, the Netherlands. Electronic address: j.h.m.merks@prinsesmaximacentrum.nl.
Carlo Morosi, Department of Radiology, Istituto Nazionale Tumori, Milan, Italy. Electronic address: Carlo.Morosi@istitutotumori.mi.it.
Erika Pace, Department of Radiology, The Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust, London, England, United Kingdom. Electronic address: Erika.Pace@rmh.nhs.uk.
Barry L. Shulkin, Department of Diagnostic Imaging, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN, USA. Electronic address: Barry.shulkin@stjude.org.
Andrea Ferrari, Pediatric Oncology Unit, Medical Oncology and Hematology Department, Istituto Nazionale Tumori, Milan, Italy. Electronic address: Andrea.Ferrari@istitutotumori.mi.it.
Thekla von Kalle, Institute of Radiology Olgahospital, Zentrum für Kinder-, Jugend- und Frauenmedizin, Klinikum Stuttgart, Stuttgart, Germany. Electronic address: T.vonKalle@klinikum-stuttgart.de.
Rick R. van Rijn, Department of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, Emma Children's Hospital, Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands. Electronic address: r.r.vanrijn@amsterdamumc.nl.
Aaron R. Weiss, Department of Pediatrics, Division of Pediatric Hematology-Oncology, Maine Medical Center, Portland, ME, USA. Electronic address: Aaron.Weiss@mainehealth.org.
Monika Sparber-Sauer, Klinikum der Landeshauptstadt Stuttgart gKAöR, Olgahospital, Stuttgart Cancer Center, Zentrum für Kinder-, Jugend- und Frauenmedizin, Pädiatrie 5 (Pädiatrische Onkologie, Hämatologie, Immunologie), Stuttgart, Germany; University of Medicine Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany. Electronic address: m.sparber@klinikum-stuttgart.de.
Simone A. Ter Horst, Princess Máxima Center for Pediatric Oncology, Utrecht, the Netherlands; Department of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, Wilhelmina Children's Hospital/University Medical Centre Utrecht, Utrecht, the Netherlands. Electronic address: S.A.J.terHorst-3@umcutrecht.nl.
M Beth McCarville, Department of Diagnostic Imaging, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN, USA. Electronic address: Beth.mccarville@stjude.org.
Abstract
Rhabdomyosarcoma is the most common soft-tissue neoplasm in the pediatric population. The survival of children with rhabdomyosarcoma has only marginally improved over the past 25 years and remains poor for those with metastatic disease. A significant challenge to advances in treatment of rhabdomyosarcoma is the relative rarity of this disease, necessitating years to complete clinical trials. Progress can be accelerated by international cooperation and sharing national experiences. This necessitates agreement on a common language to describe patient cohorts and consensus standards to guide diagnosis, treatment, and response assessment. These goals formed the premise for creating the INternational Soft Tissue saRcoma ConsorTium (INSTRuCT) in 2017. Multidisciplinary members of this consortium have since developed international consensus statements on the diagnosis, treatment, and management of pediatric soft-tissue sarcomas. Herein, members of the INSTRuCT Diagnostic Imaging Working Group present international consensus recommendations for imaging of patients with rhabdomyosarcoma at diagnosis, at staging, and during and after completion of therapy. The intent is to promote a standardized imaging approach to pediatric patients with this malignancy to create more-reliable comparisons of results of clinical trials internationally, thereby accelerating progress in managing rhabdomyosarcoma and improving survival.
