Interventional Radiology in Skeletal Metastasis

Metastasis is the most common cancer of the bone. These lesions cause significant pain and morbidity. Palliative treatment has been the mainstay in managing these patients. However, the introduction of minimally invasive techniques and the concept of filling metastatic bone lesions with acrylic cement has revolutionised the management of these patients. Such techniques are usually performed under conscious sedation, thus reducing the risks of general anaesthesia in this group of patients, who are often unfit for major surgery. This article presents a review of the different intervention techniques performed by the radiologist in patients with skeletal metastasis. We have reviewed the techniques of vertebroplasty, acetabuloplasty, sacroplasty and some of the different ablation procedures.