The accurate surgical margin before surgery for malignant musculoskeletal tumors: a retrospective study

Area of Science:

• Oncology
• Medical Imaging
• Surgical Oncology

Background:

• Accurate volume measurement for chemotherapy response in malignant musculoskeletal tumors is lacking.
• A specific preoperative method for evaluating surgical margins is needed.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the utility of a connective slice-scan and augmented virtual reality (AR) technique for tumor volume measurement and surgical margin determination in malignant musculoskeletal tumors.
• To compare preoperative and postoperative surgical margins.

Main Methods:

• Analysis of 25 cases of malignant musculoskeletal tumors treated between March 2012 and March 2014.
• Application of a connective slice-scan and augmented virtual reality (AR) technique for precise tumor volume measurement and margin assessment.
• Pathological examination of specimens to determine tumor type and compare preoperative with postoperative margins.

Main Results:

• The AR technique facilitated accurate tumor volume measurement and surgical margin determination.
• Curative or wide resection was achieved in 92% of patients, aided by preoperative imaging data.
• No significant difference was found between predicted preoperative and final postoperative surgical margins (P>0.05).

Conclusions:

• Continuous imaging data with detailed sectional anatomy, when combined with augmented virtual reality (AR), provides a scientific basis for multi-dimensional tumor size measurement and surgical margin identification.
• This integrated approach enhances surgical planning and evaluation for malignant musculoskeletal tumors.