[Radiologic diagnosis of pathologic fractures]

Area of Science:

• Radiology
• Orthopedics
• Oncology

Background:

• Pathologic fractures result from skeletal lesions, not trauma.
• Osseous metastases are an increasing cause due to aging populations and cancer treatment advances.
• Differentiating pathologic from stress or insufficiency fractures is vital for treatment.

Purpose of the Study:

• To elucidate the imaging features of pathologic fractures.
• To define the role of imaging in suspected cases.
• To introduce fracture risk assessment tools: Mirels' score and Spinal Instability Neoplastic Score (SINS).

Main Methods:

• Comprehensive PubMed literature search.
• Keywords included "pathologic fracture", "imaging", "fracture risk", "bone metastases", "Mirels' score", and "SINS".
• Review focused on diagnostic imaging and risk stratification.

Main Results:

• Definitions of pathologic, fatigue, and insufficiency fractures are provided.
• The utility of imaging in diagnosing and differentiating fracture types is explained.
• Common scoring systems for assessing fracture risk are described.

Conclusions:

• Accurate imaging is crucial for diagnosing pathologic fractures.
• Risk assessment scores aid in management planning for bony lesions.
• Understanding fracture types ensures appropriate patient treatment.