Sacral insufficiency fracture after pelvic radiotherapy: A diagnostic challenge for a radiologist.
Sacral insufficiency fractures can occur as a complication after pelvic radiotherapy. Despite several recent studies showing high incidence of sacral insufficiency fractures in elderly women after pelvic radiotherapy this condition still remains underdiagnosed. We present a case of sudden onset of low back pain in a female patient with a history of cervical cancer radiotherapy. Initial diagnostic imaging misinterpreted SIF for metastasis. Bone scan and single-photon emission-computed tomography with low-dose computed tomography revealed the correct diagnosis. Due to the reasons that sacral insufficiency fractures still remain underdiagnosed this report is important to practical routine work of oncologists and radiologists.
Correspondence to O. Lapina Department of Nuclear Medicine, National Cancer Institute, Vilnius University, Vilnius, Lithuania. Electronic address: oksana.lapina@vuoi.lt
Received 15 May 2014, accepted 13 September 2014, available online 1 October 2014.