The purpose of this article is to present algorithms for the diagnostic management of solitary bone lesions incidentally encountered on computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance (MRI) in adults. Based on review of the current literature and expert opinion, the Practice Guidelines and Technical Standards Committee of the Society of Skeletal Radiology (SSR) proposes a bone reporting and data system (Bone-RADS) for incidentally encountered solitary bone lesions on CT and MRI with four possible diagnostic management recommendations (Bone-RADS1, leave alone; Bone-RADS2, perform different imaging modality; Bone-RADS3, perform follow-up imaging; Bone-RADS4, biopsy and/or oncologic referral). Two algorithms for CT based on lesion density (lucent or sclerotic/mixed) and two for MRI allow the user to arrive at a specific Bone-RADS management recommendation. Representative cases are provided to illustrate the usability of the algorithms.

Background: The outcome differences following surgery for an impending versus a completed pathological fracture have not been clearly defined. The purpose of the present study was to assess differences in outcomes following the surgical treatment of impending versus completed pathological fractures in patients with long-bone metastases in terms of (1) 90-day and 1-year survival and (2) intraoperative blood loss, perioperative blood transfusion, anesthesia time, duration of hospitalization, 30-day postoperative systemic complications, and reoperations. Methods: We retrospectively performed a matched cohort study utilizing a database of 1,064 patients who had undergone operative treatment for 462 impending and 602 completed metastatic long-bone fractures. After matching on 22 variables, including primary tumor, visceral metastases, and surgical treatment, 270 impending pathological fractures were matched to 270 completed pathological fractures. The primary outcome was assessed with the Cox proportional hazard model. The secondary outcomes were assessed with the McNemar test and the Wilcoxon signed-rank test. Results: The 90-day survival rate did not differ between the groups (HR, 1.13 [95% CI, 0.81 to 1.56]; p = 0.48), but the 1-year survival rate was worse for completed pathological fractures (46% versus 38%) (HR, 1.28 [95% CI, 1.02 to 1.61]; p = 0.03). With regard to secondary outcomes, completed pathological fractures were associated with higher intraoperative estimated blood loss (p = 0.03), a higher rate of perioperative blood transfusions (p = 0.01), longer anesthesia time (p = 0.04), and more reoperations (OR, 2.50 [95% CI, 1.92 to 7.86]; p = 0.03); no differences were found in terms of the rate of 30-day postoperative complications or the duration of hospitalization. Conclusions: Patients undergoing surgery for impending pathological fractures had lower 1-year mortality rates and better secondary outcomes as compared with patients undergoing surgery for completed pathological fractures when accounting for 22 covariates through propensity matching. Patients with an impending pathological fracture appear to benefit from prophylactic stabilization as stabilizing a completed pathological fracture seems to be associated with increased mortality, blood loss, rate of blood transfusions, duration of surgery, and reoperation risk. Level of Evidence: Prognostic Level III. See Instructions for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.

Carbon fiber offers numerous material benefits including reduced wear, high strength-to-weight ratio, a similar elastic modulus to that of bone, and high biocompatibility. Carbon fiber implants are increasingly used in multiple arenas within orthopaedic surgery, including spine, trauma, arthroplasty, and oncology. In the orthopaedic oncologic population, the radiolucency of carbon fiber facilitates post-operative imaging for tumor surveillance or recurrence, the monitoring of bony healing and union, and radiation mapping and delivery.