Preoperative Planning Using Three-Dimensional Multimodality Imaging for Soft Tissue Sarcoma of the Axilla: A Pilot Study

Abstract

Axillary soft tissue sarcoma (STS) is challenging due to its proximity to vital neurovascular bundles. We conducted a prospective observational pilot study to explore whether 3D multimodality imaging (3DMMI) can improve preoperative planning for and surgical outcomes of patients with axillary STS. Twenty-one patients with STS (diameter > 5 cm) of the axilla were allocated, at their discretion, to either a control group undergoing traditional preoperative planning with separate computed tomography angiography, magnetic resonance imaging, and magnetic resonance neurography, or an intervention group where 3DMMI, digitally created based on these images, revealed the tumour and adjacent skeletomuscular and neurovascular structures in three dimensions. Primary outcome measures were surgical margins and surgical complications. Secondary outcomes included operative time, blood loss, serum C-reactive protein and interleukin-6, length of hospital stay, and limb function. The 3DMMI group had a lower, although not significantly different, inadvertent positive margin rate (1/12 vs. 3/9, p = 0.272), a significantly shorter operative time (p = 0.048), reduced blood loss (p = 0.038), and reduced length of hospital stay (p = 0.046). This endorses larger trials to improve complex surgical procedures and study how preoperative planning could be performed in the future.