A case of pathologic fracture of femur whose primary tumor and occult metastases were ascertained by PET-CT

Arch Orthop Trauma Surg. 2009 Feb;129(2):155-9. doi: 10.1007/s00402-007-0550-1. Epub 2008 Jan 9.

Abstract

We report a case of metastatic pathologic fracture of femoral shaft, whose primary cancer was ascertained by positron emission tomography-computed tomography (PET-CT). The abnormally increased biological activity of the space-occupying lesion of the lung was clearly demonstrated by PET-CT. Moreover, the occult bony metastatic lesions were confirmed with evidence of altered biologic activity. The PET-CT should be regarded as a valuable work-up tool for the orthopaedic management of metastatic pathologic fracture of a skeleton, all-the-more as a functional metabolic imaging tool.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Aged, 80 and over
  • Bone Neoplasms / diagnosis*
  • Bone Neoplasms / secondary
  • Femur*
  • Fractures, Spontaneous / diagnosis
  • Fractures, Spontaneous / etiology*
  • Fractures, Spontaneous / surgery
  • Humans
  • Lung Neoplasms / diagnostic imaging*
  • Lung Neoplasms / pathology
  • Male
  • Positron-Emission Tomography*
  • Tomography, X-Ray Computed*