EARLY DIAGNOSIS OF MALIGNANT METASTASES TO THE SPINE

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Abstract
Adequate roentgen therapy of malignant metastatic lesions often produces such dramatic relief of pain and such remarkable regression of the lesions that the evaluation of early findings related to pain, erythrocyte sedimentation rate and serum phosphatase level is worthy of discussion and clarification. Since roentgen ray therapy is the only hope for successful treatment, an early diagnosis becomes imperative. The feeling of many physicians concerning the possibilities of an early diagnosis and the successful treatment of demonstrable malignant metastases to the spine has been, unnecessarily, one of pessimism and futility. Our observations disclosed certain constant features attending metastatic lesions in the vertebrae. An accurate diagnosis can be made long before roentgen ray evidence is present. The constant features mentioned suggest a syndrome based on (1) the character of the pain, (2) the changes in the erythrocyte sedimentation rate and (3) the level of the serum phosphatase. EVALUATION OF ROENTGEN RAY

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