The incidence and diagnostic relevance of pathological fracture in conventional central chondrosarcoma

OBJECTIVE

To determine the incidence and diagnostic relevance of pathological fracture in patients with conventional central chondrosarcoma (CC-CS).

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Retrospective review of patients with CC-CS diagnosed between January 2007 and December 2019. Data collected included age, sex, skeletal location and the presence of pathological fracture at presentation. Histological tumour grade based on surgical resection or needle biopsy was classified as atypical cartilaginous tumour (ACT)/grade 1 CS (ACT/Gd1 CS), high-grade CS (HG-CS) and dedifferentiated CS (DD-CS). The presence of pathological fracture was correlated with age, skeletal location and tumour grade.

RESULTS

Three hundred seventeen patients were included (177 males and 140 females with mean age 55.8 years, range 9-91 years). Mean age of patients without pathological fracture was 54.4 years and those with pathological fracture 62.9 years (p = 0.002). The major long bones were involved in 171 cases, the flat bones in 112 cases, the mobile spine in 7 cases and the small bones of the hands and feet in 27 cases. There were 81 ACT/Gd 1 CS, 168 HGCS and 68 DD-CS. Pathological fracture was evident at presentation in 51 (16.1%) cases, the commonest bones involved being the femur (n = 21; 41.2%), humerus (n = 10; 19.6%) and acetabulum (n = 7; 13.7%). Pathological facture occurred in 7 cases of ACT/Gd 1 CS (13.7%), 23 cases of HGCS (45.1%) and 21 cases of DD-CS (41.2%) (p = 0.001). Following multivariate analysis, both older age and histological grade were independently significant factors.

CONCLUSIONS

Pathological fracture was seen in 16.1% of patients with CC-CS. Pathological fractures in the femur, humerus and acetabulum very likely indicate higher tumour grade.

Radiation Exposure during Varicocele Embolization: Does Access Site and Treated Side Matter?

Purpose: The purpose of the study was to evaluate radiation exposure during varicocele embolization and correlate it with access site, embolized side, and complexity of varicoceles. Materials and Methods: This retrospective study included 39 adults who underwent varicocele embolization with a combination of coils and sclerosing agents between January 2015 and December 2018. Left-sided embolization was done in 26 patients and bilateral embolization in 13 patients. Jugular access was used in ten patients, whereas upper limb access was done in 29 patients. Dose area product (DAP) and total fluoroscopy time were collected and correlated to the treated side, access site, and complexity of varicoceles. Results: The mean fluoroscopy time for left varicocele embolization was 26.76 min, which was not statistically different (P = 0.16) compared to bilateral embolization (33.2 min). There was no statistical difference (P = 0.37) between the mean DAP for left embolization of 106,239 mGy.cm2 compared to bilateral DAP of 107,153 mGy.cm2. There was no difference in the mean DAP or fluoroscopy time between jugular vein access (DAP = 87,569 mGy.cm2, time = 34 min) and upper limb venous access (DAP = 113,086.8534 mGy.cm2, time = 28 min) with P = 0.64 and P = 0.14, respectively. There was no statistically significant correlation between the left varicocele Bähren classification and the fluoroscopy time (P = 0.52) or DAP (P = 0.76). Conclusion: This study finds no significant difference in DAP or fluoroscopy time between jugular and upper limb venous access or between left and bilateral embolization.