Annals of biomedical engineering
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Comparative Study
Non-destructive evaluation of the effects of combined bisphosphonate and photodynamic therapy on bone strain in metastatic vertebrae using image registration.
Skeletal metastases most frequently affect the vertebral column and may lead to severe consequences including fracture. Clinical management of skeletal metastases often utilizes a multimodal treatment approach, including bisphosphonates (BPs). Previous work has demonstrated the synergistic potential of photodynamic therapy (PDT) in combination with BP in treating osteolytic disease through structural, histologic, and destructive mechanical testing analyses. ⋯ High strain areas in both groups were observed around the endplates; in the control group, large areas of high strains were also observed around the lesions and adjacent to the dorsal wall. Absence of high strains adjacent to the dorsal wall (similar to healthy vertebrae) may correspond to a reduced risk of burst fracture following BP + PDT therapy. This study demonstrates the application of non-destructive image analysis to quantify the positive mechanical effects of combined BP + PDT treatment in the metastatic spine.