Pigmented Villonodular Synovitis

Radiation Therapy for Treatment of Pigmented Villonodular Synovitis: Results of a National Patterns of Care Study

“…After follow-up of 12 and 24 months no recurrence was noted in both of the cases. During the 1950s, the value of orthovoltage irradiation was investigated in further historical studies for a total of 20 cases (22)(23)(24)(25). The rates of local control obtained in these papers ranged from 33% to 100% (mean; 78.2 %).…”

“…Open or arthroscopic synovectomy (9,12,(16)(17)(18)(19)(20), external beam radiation therapy (RT) (21)(22)(23)(24)(25)(26)(27)(28)(29)(30)(31)(32)(33)(34)(35)(36)(37)(38)(39), and intra-articular radionuclid application (40)(41)(42)(43) have been shown to be effective for the primary treatment and the management of recurrent disease, either alone or in various combinations. Nevertheless, there is a wide consensus that surgical synovectomy and curettage of bony lesions is the treatment of choice for the primary management of PVNS (4).…”

Pigmented villonodular synovitis of the knee: computed tomographic appearances

“…Macroscopically, the c o n d i t i o n is characterised by areas of diffuse villous hypertrophy of the synovium or by a single lesion or cluster of nodular masses. The knee is the joint most commonly involved, and only rarely is more than one site involved [3,5,6,13,15,17,19,22,27,28]. In the villous form, the superficial layer of synovial cells contains much haemosiderin pigment, and similar pigmentation is present in cells of the macrophage type which occupy the stroma of the villi, in company with lymphocytes, plasma cells and occasional multinucleate giant cells.…”

Pigmented villonodular synovitis of the spine: report of a lumbar case

“…Radiographic features of PVNS have been reported in detail primarily in the extremities (4,7,9). Plain films can show erosive bone changes and occasionally a definable soft tissue mass (4).…”

“…The role of radiation therapy has not been clarified. Local irradiation as initial treatment has been used since 1940s (9,13). Because of the side effects, adjuvant radiotherapy can be used after subtotal resection due to accessibility of the lesion or after local recurrence.…”