DOI: 10.36347/sajb.2017.v05i04.005

Pages: 281-302

Skeletal metastases occur with many malignancies, but they are most common in carcinomas of the breast (47-85%), prostrate (54-85%), lung (32%), kidney (33-40%), and thyroid (28-60%). Most bone metastases are hematogenous in origin, although contiguous and intraspinal spread many occur. The initial seeding of metastatic deposits via hematogenous spread is typically localized in the hematopoietic (red) marrow. This location explains the predominance of metastatic bone lesions in the axial skeleton (>90% of the metastatic bone lesions).The spine is the most common site for skeletal metastases because of the abundant vascularization and red bone marrow. Intravascular dissemination to bone can occur through the normal venous system (and occasionally the arterial system) or through Batson’s plexus. Vertebral metastatic lesions amount to about 39% of all skeletal metastases. The bone scan is primarily and index of osteoblastic activity and is more sensitive to abnormalities of bony cortex and less sensitive to marrow abnormalities. Magnetic Resonance imaging (MRI) has emerged as a sensitive method of detecting intramedullay metastases in vertebral bodies, which contain large marrow content. The aim of this study is to compare the efficacy of Magnetic Resonance Imaging as against Radionuclide bone scans in early detection of vertebral metastases.