title: Skeletal complications of radiation therapy.
abstract: Radiation therapy is an important modality in the treatment of a wide variety of neoplasms. Skeletal complications of radiation therapy include alterations in bone growth, radiation osteitis with secondary stress fractures, and radiation-induced sarcoma. Routine follow-up of patients who are asymptomatic may show radiation changes that must be differentiated from recurrent disease. In symptomatic patients who are examined for metastatic disease, imaging findings may suggest stress fractures related to prior radiation therapy or, rarely, radiation-induced tumors. Correlation of the clinical presentation, radiation ports, and radiologic findings will often help in the differential diagnosis in these patients.
authors.affiliation: Russell H. Morgan Department of Radiology and Radiological Science, Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions, Baltimore, MD 21287.
authors.forename: D A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Bluemke
authors.forename: E K
authors.initials: EK
authors.lastname: Fishman
authors.forename: W W
authors.initials: WW
authors.lastname: Scott
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001846:Bone Development / Q000528:radiation effects; D001847:Bone Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology*; D001859:Bone Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009381:Neoplasms, Radiation-Induced / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D010025:Osteoradionecrosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D011832:Radiation Injuries / Q000175:diagnosis; D011859:Radiography; D011878:Radiotherapy / Q000009:adverse effects*