Sacral insufficiency fracture in a patient after radiotherapy for cervical cancer in the presence of postmenopausal osteopenia

Chastoedov P. A.

 

 

Purpose. Insufficiency fractures of the sacrum can be a cause of lumbosacral pain in patients after pelvic cancer radiotherapy. Their symptoms are often unspecific, as a result delayed diagnosis can take place. MRI has a highest sensitivity, whereas X-rays are frequently negative. Materials and methods. The clinical case of spontaneously arised lumbosacral pain in a postmenopausal osteopenic woman 3 months after cervical cancer radiation therapy is described in this publication. Results. Magnetic resonance imaging of this patient showed bone marrow edema and frac-ture line in the right part of the sacrum. There was a partial regression of clinical symptoms and MRI findings on the right during the next 7 months, but similar symmetrical changes in the left hemisacrum occurred and gradually became more obvious. It can be explained by untimely starting of patient’s physical activity and treatment interruption. Conclusion. An adequate differentiation of sacral insufficiency fractures from meta-static disease in this patient category is important to avoid unnecessary treatment and bi-opsy.
«Diagnostic and treatment center of international institution of biological systems – Kirov». Kirov, Russia.

 




 

 

Keywords:sacrum, insufficiency fractures, MRI, radiotherapy, postmenopausal osteoporosis.

 

Corresponding author:: Chastoedov P. A., e-mail: Этот e-mail адрес защищен от спам-ботов, для его просмотра у Вас должен быть включен Javascript

 

For citation:Chastoedov P. A. Sacral insufficiency fracture in a patient after radiotherapy for cervical cancer in the presence of postmenopausal osteopenia. REJR 2018; 8(1):250-255. DOI:10.21569/2222-7415-2018-8-1-250-255.

Received: 04.12.2017  Accepted: 29.12.2017