Implant and construct decision-making in metastatic spine tumour surgery: a review of current concepts with a decision-making algorithm.

STUDY DESIGN: Narrative Review. OBJECTIVE: Metastatic spine tumour surgery (MSTS) is an important treatment modality of metastatic spinal disease (MSD). Increase in MSTS has been due to improvements in our oncological treatment, as patients have increased longevity and even those with poorer comorbidities are now being considered for surgery. However, there is currently no guideline on how MSTS surgeons should select the appropriate levels to instrument, and which type of implants should be utilised. METHODS: The current literature on MSTS was reviewed to study implant and construct decision making factors, with a view to write this narrative review. All studies that were related to instrumentation in MSTS were included. RESULTS: A total of 58 studies were included in this review. We discuss novel decision-making models that should be taken into account when planning for surgery in patients undergoing MSTS. These factors include the quality of bone for instrumentation, the extent of the construct required for MSTS patients, the use of cement augmentation and the choice of implant. Various studies have advocated for the use of these modalities and demonstrated better outcomes in MSTS patients when used appropriately. CONCLUSION: We have established a new instrumentation algorithm that should be taken into consideration for patients undergoing MSTS. It serves as an important guide for surgeons treating MSTS, with the continuous evolvement of our treatment capacity in MSD.

Simultaneous determination of bisphenol A and bisphenol AF using a carbon nanocages and CuO nanochains-based sensitive voltammetric sensor.

A new and highly sensitive voltammetric technique was described in this study for the concurrent detection of endocrine disruptors bisphenol A (BPA) and bisphenol AF (BPAF) based on carbon nanocages (CNCs) and copper oxide nanochains (CuONCs). The CNCs was prepared by the solvothermal method and characterized using various techniques. Utilizing the nanocomposite of CNCs and CuONCs, the voltammetric sensor demonstrated outstanding performance in detecting BPA and BPAF simultaneously with distinct oxidation peaks and increased current peaks. The voltammetric signals have linear relationships with the two bisphenols ranging from 0.500 µM to 100 µM with a detection limit of 0.16 µM for BPA and 0.14 µM for BPAF. The newly designed sensor showed reliable consistency, long-term durability and anti-interference ability, and performed well in analyzing real water samples, indicating great potential for environmental monitoring.

Intraoperative cell-salvaged autologous blood transfusion is safe in metastatic spine tumour surgery: early outcomes of prospective clinical study.

PURPOSE: Allogeneic blood transfusion (ABT) is current standard of blood replenishment despite known complications. Salvaged blood transfusion (SBT) addresses majority of such complications. Surgeons remain reluctant to employ SBT in metastatic spine tumour surgery (MSTS), despite ample laboratory evidence. This prompted us to conduct a prospective clinical study to ascertain safety of intraoperative cell salvage (IOCS), in MSTS. METHODS: Our prospective study included 73 patients who underwent MSTS from 2014 to 2017. Demographics, tumour histology and burden, clinical findings, modified Tokuhashi score, operative and blood transfusion (BT) details were recorded. Patients were divided based on BT type: no blood transfusion (NBT) and SBT/ABT. Primary outcomes assessed were overall survival (OS), and tumour progression was evaluated using RECIST (v1.1) employing follow-up radiological investigations at 6, 12 and 24 months, classifying patients with non-progressive and progressive disease. RESULTS: Seventy-three patients [39:34(M/F)] had mean age of 61 years. Overall median follow-up and survival were 26 and 12 months, respectively. All three groups were comparable for demographics and tumour characteristics. Overall median blood loss was 500 mL, and BT was 1000 mL. Twenty-six (35.6%) patients received SBT, 27 (37.0%) ABT and 20 (27.4%) NBT. Females had lower OS and higher risk of tumour progression. SBT had better OS and reduced risk of tumour progression than ABT group. Total blood loss was not associated with tumour progression. Infective complications other than SSI were significantly (p = 0.027) higher in ABT than NBT/SBT groups. CONCLUSIONS: Patients of SBT had OS and tumour progression better than ABT/NBT groups. This is the first prospective study to report of SBT in comparison with control groups in MSTS.

A deep learning-based technique for the diagnosis of epidural spinal cord compression on thoracolumbar CT.

PURPOSE: To develop a deep learning (DL) model for epidural spinal cord compression (ESCC) on CT, which will aid earlier ESCC diagnosis for less experienced clinicians. METHODS: We retrospectively collected CT and MRI data from adult patients with suspected ESCC at a tertiary referral institute from 2007 till 2020. A total of 183 patients were used for training/validation of the DL model. A separate test set of 40 patients was used for DL model evaluation and comprised 60 staging CT and matched MRI scans performed with an interval of up to 2 months. DL model performance was compared to eight readers: one musculoskeletal radiologist, two body radiologists, one spine surgeon, and four trainee spine surgeons. Diagnostic performance was evaluated using inter-rater agreement, sensitivity, specificity and AUC. RESULTS: Overall, 3115 axial CT slices were assessed. The DL model showed high kappa of 0.872 for normal, low and high-grade ESCC (trichotomous), which was superior compared to a body radiologist (R4, κ = 0.667) and all four trainee spine surgeons (κ range = 0.625-0.838)(all p < 0.001). In addition, for dichotomous normal versus any grade of ESCC detection, the DL model showed high kappa (κ = 0.879), sensitivity (91.82), specificity (92.01) and AUC (0.919), with the latter AUC superior to all readers (AUC range = 0.732-0.859, all p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: A deep learning model for the objective assessment of ESCC on CT had comparable or superior performance to radiologists and spine surgeons. Earlier diagnosis of ESCC on CT could reduce treatment delays, which are associated with poor outcomes, increased costs, and reduced survival.

A voltammetric sensor for bisphenol A using gold nanochains and carbon nanotubes.

Gold nanochains (AuNCs) were prepared, and this novel material was combined with carboxylated multi-walled carbon nanotubes (cMWCNTs) to be a nanocomposite for the first time. The transmission electron microscopy (TEM), scanning electron microscope (SEM), energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and UV-Vis spectra were used to characterize the successful preparation of AuNCs and AuNC-cMWCNT composite. Based on this hybrid material, a voltammetric sensor of bisphenol A (BPA) was established. The proposed sensor displayed excellent performance for the measurement of BPA by obvious decreased anodic peak potential and enlarged peak current. Using the optimized conditions, BPA was detected using linear sweep voltammetry, and the linear range showed as wide as 0.5 µM to 2000 µM with the detection limit estimated to be 12 nM (S/N = 3). The as-proposed sensor also exhibited satisfactory performance in determining BPA of actual plastic samples.

Improved Productivity Using Deep Learning-assisted Reporting for Lumbar Spine MRI.

Background Lumbar spine MRI studies are widely used for back pain assessment. Interpretation involves grading lumbar spinal stenosis, which is repetitive and time consuming. Deep learning (DL) could provide faster and more consistent interpretation. Purpose To assess the speed and interobserver agreement of radiologists for reporting lumbar spinal stenosis with and without DL assistance. Materials and Methods In this retrospective study, a DL model designed to assist radiologists in the interpretation of spinal canal, lateral recess, and neural foraminal stenoses on lumbar spine MRI scans was used. Randomly selected lumbar spine MRI studies obtained in patients with back pain who were 18 years and older over a 3-year period, from September 2015 to September 2018, were included in an internal test data set. Studies with instrumentation and scoliosis were excluded. Eight radiologists, each with 2-13 years of experience in spine MRI interpretation, reviewed studies with and without DL model assistance with a 1-month washout period. Time to diagnosis (in seconds) and interobserver agreement (using Gwet κ) were assessed for stenosis grading for each radiologist with and without the DL model and compared with test data set labels provided by an external musculoskeletal radiologist (with 32 years of experience) as the reference standard. Results Overall, 444 images in 25 patients (mean age, 51 years ± 20 [SD]; 14 women) were evaluated in a test data set. DL-assisted radiologists had a reduced interpretation time per spine MRI study, from a mean of 124-274 seconds (SD, 25-88 seconds) to 47-71 seconds (SD, 24-29 seconds) (P < .001). DL-assisted radiologists had either superior or equivalent interobserver agreement for all stenosis gradings compared with unassisted radiologists. DL-assisted general and in-training radiologists improved their interobserver agreement for four-class neural foraminal stenosis, with κ values of 0.71 and 0.70 (with DL) versus 0.39 and 0.39 (without DL), respectively (both P < .001). Conclusion Radiologists who were assisted by deep learning for interpretation of lumbar spinal stenosis on MRI scans showed a marked reduction in reporting time and superior or equivalent interobserver agreement for all stenosis gradings compared with radiologists who were unassisted by deep learning. © RSNA, 2022 Online supplemental material is available for this article. See also the editorial by Hayashi in this issue.

Deep Learning Model for Automated Detection and Classification of Central Canal, Lateral Recess, and Neural Foraminal Stenosis at Lumbar Spine MRI.

Background Assessment of lumbar spinal stenosis at MRI is repetitive and time consuming. Deep learning (DL) could improve -productivity and the consistency of reporting. Purpose To develop a DL model for automated detection and classification of lumbar central canal, lateral recess, and neural -foraminal stenosis. Materials and Methods In this retrospective study, lumbar spine MRI scans obtained from September 2015 to September 2018 were included. Studies of patients with spinal instrumentation or studies with suboptimal image quality, as well as postgadolinium studies and studies of patients with scoliosis, were excluded. Axial T2-weighted and sagittal T1-weighted images were used. Studies were split into an internal training set (80%), validation set (9%), and test set (11%). Training data were labeled by four radiologists using predefined gradings (normal, mild, moderate, and severe). A two-component DL model was developed. First, a convolutional neural network (CNN) was trained to detect the region of interest (ROI), with a second CNN for classification. An internal test set was labeled by a musculoskeletal radiologist with 31 years of experience (reference standard) and two subspecialist radiologists (radiologist 1: A.M., 5 years of experience; radiologist 2: J.T.P.D.H., 9 years of experience). DL model performance on an external test set was evaluated. Detection recall (in percentage), interrater agreement (Gwet κ), sensitivity, and specificity were calculated. Results Overall, 446 MRI lumbar spine studies were analyzed (446 patients; mean age ± standard deviation, 52 years ± 19; 240 women), with 396 patients in the training (80%) and validation (9%) sets and 50 (11%) in the internal test set. For internal testing, DL model and radiologist central canal recall were greater than 99%, with reduced neural foramina recall for the DL model (84.5%) and radiologist 1 (83.9%) compared with radiologist 2 (97.1%) (P < .001). For internal testing, dichotomous classification (normal or mild vs moderate or severe) showed almost-perfect agreement for both radiologists and the DL model, with respective κ values of 0.98, 0.98, and 0.96 for the central canal; 0.92, 0.95, and 0.92 for lateral recesses; and 0.94, 0.95, and 0.89 for neural foramina (P < .001). External testing with 100 MRI scans of lumbar spines showed almost perfect agreement for the DL model for dichotomous classification of all ROIs (κ, 0.95-0.96; P < .001). Conclusion A deep learning model showed comparable agreement with subspecialist radiologists for detection and classification of central canal and lateral recess stenosis, with slightly lower agreement for neural foraminal stenosis at lumbar spine MRI. © RSNA, 2021 Online supplemental material is available for this article. See also the editorial by Hayashi in this issue.

Readmission-Free Survival Analysis in Metastatic Spine Tumour Surgical Patients: A Novel Concept.

BACKGROUND: Outcomes commonly used to ascertain success of metastatic spine tumour surgery (MSTS) are 30-day complications/mortality and overall/disease-free survival. We believe a new, effective outcome indicator after MSTS would be the absence of unplanned hospital readmission (UHR) after index discharge. We introduce the concept of readmission-free survival (ReAFS), defined as 'the time duration between hospital discharge after index operation and first UHR or death'. The aim of this study is to identify factors influencing ReAFS in MSTS patients. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We retrospectively analysed 266 consecutive patients who underwent MSTS between 2005 and 2016. Demographics, oncological characteristics, procedural, preoperative and postoperative details were collected. ReAFS of patients within 2 years or until death was reviewed. Perioperative factors predictive of reduced ReAFS were evaluated using multivariate regression analysis. RESULTS: Of 266 patients, 230 met criteria for analysis. A total of 201 had UHR, whilst 1 in 8 (29/230) had no UHR. Multivariate analysis revealed that haemoglobin ≥ 12 g/dL, ECOG score of ≤ 2, primary prostate, breast and haematological cancers, comorbidities ≤ 3, absence of preoperative radiotherapy and shorter postoperative length of stay significantly prolonged the time to first UHR. CONCLUSIONS: Readmission-free survival is a novel concept in MSTS, which relies on patients' general condition, appropriateness of interventional procedures and underlying disease burden. Additionally, it may indicate the successful combination of a multi-disciplinary treatment approach. This information will allow oncologists and surgeons to identify patients who may benefit from increased surveillance following discharge to increase ReAFS. We envisage that ReAFS is a concept that can be extended to other surgical oncological fields.

Is there an optimal timing between radiotherapy and surgery to reduce wound complications in metastatic spine disease? A systematic review.

PURPOSE: Surgery with radiation therapy (RT) is more effective in treating spinal metastases, than RT alone. However, RT when administered in close proximity to surgery may predispose to wound complications. There exist limited guidelines on the optimal timing between RT and surgery. The purpose of this systematic review is to: (1) address whether pre-operative RT (preop-RT) and/or post-operative RT (postop-RT) is associated with wound complications and (2) define the safe interval between RT and surgery or vice versa. METHODS: PubMed, Embase and Scopus databases were systematically searched for articles dealing with spinal metastases, treated with surgery and RT, and discussing wound status. RESULTS: We obtained 2332 articles from all databases, and after applying exclusion criteria, removing duplicates and reading the full text, we identified 27 relevant articles. Fourteen additional articles were identified by hand-search, leading to a total of 41 articles. All 41 mentioned wound complications/healing. Sixteen articles discussed preop-RT, 8 postop-RT, 15 both, and 2 mentioned intraoperative-RT with additional pre/postop-RT. Twenty studies mentioned surgery-RT time interval; one concluded that wound complications were higher when RT-surgery interval was ≤ 7 days. Seven studies reported significant association between preop-RT and wound complications. CONCLUSIONS: Evidence is insufficient to draw definitive conclusion about optimal RT-surgery interval. However, based on published literature and expert opinions, we conclude that an interval of 2 weeks, the minimum being 7 days, is optimum between RT-surgery or vice versa; this can be reduced further by postop-stereotactic body RT. If RT-surgery window is > 12 months, wound-complications rise. Postop-RT has fewer wound complications versus preop-RT.

Intraoperative periprosthetic femur fracture during bipolar hemiarthroplasty for displaced femoral neck fractures.

INTRODUCTION: We aim to review the incidence and risk factors for the development of intraoperative periprosthetic femur fractures while performing a bipolar hemiarthroplasty for displaced neck of femur fractures. Our secondary aim is to characterize the types of intraoperative periprosthetic fractures, the steps leading to the fractures, and the salvage treatments instituted. MATERIALS AND METHODS: 271 patients treated with bipolar hemiarthroplasty after traumatic displaced femoral neck fractures were retrospectively analyzed. Demographic data, co-morbidities, vitamin D level, consumption of steroids, ASA score, surgical approach, surgeon experience, use of cemented or uncemented implants, proximal femur morphology, and types of anaesthesia were analyzed statistically. RESULTS: There were 28 patients (10.3%) with intraoperative periprosthetic femur fractures. We found two significant independent risk factors which were the use of uncemented prosthesis (OR 4.15; 95% CI 1.65-10.46; p = 0.003) and Dorr type C proximal femurs (Dorr A OR 3.6; 95% CI 1.47-8.82; p = 0.005). In addition, patients with Dorr type C proximal femurs who underwent uncemented bipolar hemiarthroplasty were more likely to sustain an intraoperative periprosthetic fracture (14(73.7%) out of 19 patients; p = 0.002). There were no significant differences found in other risk factors. The most common location for these fractures was at the greater trochanter at 11 (39.3%) cases. Majority of them, 15 (53.6%), had intraoperative fractures during trial implant insertion and reduction. CONCLUSION: The overall incidence of intraoperative periprosthetic femur fractures during hemiarthroplasty for displaced neck of femur fractures was 10.3%. The incidence was significantly higher for uncemented (14.7%) when compared to cemented prosthesis (5.4%) and the greater trochanter was the commonest area for periprosthetic fractures during trial implant insertion and reduction. Uncemented prosthesis and Dorr type C proximal femurs were two significant independent risk factors contributing to intraoperative periprosthetic fractures. By identifying these risk factors, surgeons can take ample precautions to prevent complications.

Chlorhexidine Anaphylaxis Masquerading as Septic Shock.

Chlorhexidine is a commonly used antiseptic and disinfectant in the health-care setting. Its usage has increased in recent years with intensive campaigns and infection control guidelines to combat hospital-acquired infections. As a result, patients and health-care workers (HCW) are exposed to increasing chlorhexidine usage. In recent years, adverse reactions to chlorhexidine ranging from allergic contact dermatitis, photosensitivity, fixed drug eruptions, urticaria and anaphylactic shock have been reported. Most have been isolated case reports on adverse reactions occurring in healthy individuals or HCW. We report a case of anaphylactic shock caused by applying chlorhexidine cleansing solution and masquerading as septic shock from left-leg necrotising fasciitis.

Electrochemical sensing performance of two CuO nanomaterial-modified dual-working electrodes.

Two CuO nanostructures, namely, nanospheres (CuONSs) and nanochains (CuONCs) with different shapes but similar diameters, were synthesized and characterized. With these two nanomaterials as electrode modifiers, a systematic comparative study was conducted to examine their electrochemical sensing of catechol (CT) using a dual-working electrode system. The results suggest that for CuONS- and CuONC-modified glassy carbon electrodes, the electrode process for the CT redox is diffusion-controlled, and the modification amount and electrolyte pH have a similar effect on the response. However, the CuONCs showed a higher peak current and lower peak potential, as well as a lower detection limit for the electrochemical oxidation of CT. This is explained by the lower charge transfer impedance and higher electroactive surface area of the CuONCs. Notably, an unexpected peak appeared in the cyclic voltammograms when the pH was <4 for the CuONCs and <3 for the CuONSs. For this phenomenon, UV-Vis spectra, zeta potential, and size distribution experiments demonstrated changes in the two CuO nanostructures at lower pH, illustrating that CuONSs can tolerate a higher pH as compared to CuONCs. The multiple comparisons between the two nanomaterials presented here can provide references for the selection of electrochemical sensing materials.

AB074. Propensity-score matched analysis to evaluate the safety and utility of intraoperative cell-salvaged autologous blood transfusion in metastatic spine tumour surgery.

BACKGROUND: Blood loss is an important consideration in metastatic spine tumour surgery (MSTS). Allogeneic blood transfusion (ABT) is the current standard of blood replenishment for MSTS despite known complications. Salvaged blood transfusion (SBT) through intraoperative cell salvage addresses the majority of complications related to ABT. However, the use of SBT in MSTS still remains controversial. We aim to conduct a prospective propensity-score (PS) matched analysis to evaluate the long-term clinical outcomes of intraoperative cell salvage (IOCS) in MSTS. METHODS: Our study included 98 patients who underwent MSTS from 2014-2017. A PS matched cohort was created using the relevant and available predictors of treatment assignment and outcomes of interest. Clinical outcomes consisting of overall survival (OS), as well tumour progression (TP) that was evaluated using RECIST (v1.1) were compared in the matched cohort. RESULTS: Our study had a total of 98 patients with a mean age of 60 years old. A total of 33 patients received SBT. Overall median blood loss was 600 mL [interquartile range (IQR): 300-1,000 mL] and overall median blood transfusion (BT) was 620 mL (IQR: 110-1,600 mL). Group PS matching included 30 patients who received ABT and 28 patients who received SBT. There was also no significant difference between the OS of patients who underwent ABT or SBT (P=0.19). SBT did not show any significant increase in 4-year tumour progression [PS matched hazard ratio (HR) 3.659; 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.346-38.7; P=0.28]. CONCLUSIONS: SBT has been shown to have similar clinical outcomes to that of ABT in patients undergoing MSTS, with potential benefits of avoiding complications and costs of ABT. This will be the first long-term PS matched analysis to report on the clinical outcomes of SBT and affirms the clinical role of SBT in MSTS today.

AB075. When would minimally invasive spinal surgery not be preferable for metastatic spine disease?-a narrative review.

BACKGROUND: Metastatic spine tumour surgery (MSTS) is an important treatment modality of metastatic spinal disease (MSD). Open spine surgery (OSS) was previously the gold standard of treatment. However, advancements in MSTS in recent years has resulted in a current paradigm shift towards today's gold standard of minimally invasive spinal surgery (MISS) and early adjuvant RT in treating MSD patients. Nonetheless, there are still certain situations whereby MISS is not desirable or even suitable. There has also yet to be any literature describing the considerations for not using MISS in MSD in today's clinical context. We aim to bridge the gap where OSS should be considered with caution and highlight situations where MISS is preferable using the available literature and personal experience. METHODS: This narrative review was conducted using PubMed, Medical Literature Analysis and Retrieval System Online (MEDLINE), The Cochrane Library and Scopus databases through August 31, 2023. Inclusion criteria for the review were studies with discussion on the type of surgery in MSTS. RESULTS: A total of 52 studies were included in this review. We discussed various advantages and situations appropriate for MISS for MSD in today's clinical context. Nonetheless, there are still various unique circumstances in which MISS may be less suitable. MISS is less feasible in patients of paediatric profile, having short stature or having had previous surgery at the level of operation. Occipitocervical and cervicothoracic location of vertebrae metastasis also makes MISS less feasible due to access and imaging difficulty. MISS for tumours which are hypersclerotic and hypervascular can also result in more difficulty for cannulation of MISS probes as well as control of bleeding respectively, and hence will be less encouraged in the above settings. CONCLUSIONS: Our review will be the first to discuss circumstances in which MISS is less applicable, despite the advantages it may confer over traditional OSS. MSTS should be individualized to the patient, depending on the experience of the surgeon. OSS is still a time-tested approach that holds weight in MSTS and should be readily utilized depending on the clinical situation.

Does Patient Blood Management Affect Outcomes in Metastatic Spine Tumour Surgery? A Review of Current Concepts.

STUDY DESIGN: Narrative review. OBJECTIVE: The spine is the most common site of metastases, associated with decreased quality of life. Increase in metastatic spine tumour surgery (MSTS) has caused us to focus on the management of blood, as blood loss is a significant morbidity in these patients. However, blood transfusion is also not without its own risks, and hence this led to blood conservation strategies and implementation of a concept of patient blood management (PBM) in clinical practise focusing on these patients. METHODS: A narrative review was conducted and all studies that were related to blood management in metastatic spine disease as well as PBM surrounding this condition were included. RESULTS: A total of 64 studies were included in this review. We discussed a new concept of patient blood management in patients undergoing MSTS, with stratification to pre-operative and intra-operative factors, as well as anaesthesia and surgical considerations. The studies show that PBM and reduction in blood transfusion allows for reduced readmission rates, lower risks associated with blood transfusion, and lower morbidity for patients undergoing MSTS. CONCLUSION: Through this review, we highlight various pre-operative and intra-operative methods in the surgical and anaesthesia domains that can help with PBM. It is an important concept with the significant amount of blood loss expected from MSTS. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Not applicable.

AB077. An evaluation of prognostic scoring systems for survival in a surgically treated cohort of 318 metastatic spine tumour surgery patients.

BACKGROUND: Survival prognostication plays a key role in the decision-making process for the surgical treatment of patients with spinal metastases. In the past traditional scoring systems such as the modified Tokuhashi and Tomita scoring systems have been used extensively, however in recent years their accuracy has been called into question. This has led to the development of machine learning algorithms to predict survival. In this study, we aim to compare the accuracy of prognostic scoring systems in a surgically treated cohort of patients. METHODS: This is a retrospective review of 318 surgically treated spinal metastases patients between 2009 and 2021. The primary outcome measured was survival from the time of diagnosis. Predicted survival at 3 months, 6 months and 1 year based on the prognostic scoring system was compared to actual survival. Predictive values of each scoring system were measured via area under receiver operating characteristic curves (AUROC). The following scoring systems were compared, Modified Tokuhashi (MT), Tomita (T), Modified Bauer (MB), Van Den Linden (VDL), Oswestry (O), New England Spinal Metastases score (NESMS), Global Spine Study Tumor Group (GSTSG) and Skeletal Oncology Research Group (SORG) scoring systems. RESULTS: For predicting 3 months survival, the GSTSG 0.980 (0.949-1.0) and NESM 0.980 (0.949-1.0) had outstanding predictive value, while the SORG 0.837 (0.751-0.923) and O 0.837 (0.775-0.900) had excellent predictive value. While for 6 months survival, only the O 0.819 (0.758-0.880) had excellent predictive value and the GSTSG 0.791(0.725-0.857) had acceptable predictive value. For 1 year survival, the NESM 0.871 (0.822-0.919) had excellent predictive value and the O 0.722 (0.657-0.786) had acceptable predictive value. The MT, T and MB scores had an area under the curve (AUC) of <0.5 for 3-month, 6-month and 1-year survival. CONCLUSIONS: Increasingly, traditional scoring systems such as the MT, T and MB scoring systems have become less predictive. While newer scoring systems such as the GSTSG, NESM and SORG have outstanding to excellent predictive value, there is no one survival scoring system that is able to accurately prognosticate survival at all 3 time points. A multidisciplinary, personalised approach to survival prognostication is needed.

AB078. Patterns of treatment delay in patients with symptomatic metastatic epidural spinal cord compression.

BACKGROUND: Delayed treatment in symptomatic metastatic epidural spinal cord compression (MESCC) is significantly associated with poorer functional outcomes. In this study, we aim to identify the patterns of treatment delay in patients and factors predictive of postoperative ambulatory function. METHODS: Retrospective review of patients with symptomatic MESCC treated surgically between January 2015 and January 2022. MESCC symptoms were categorized into symptoms suggesting cord compression requiring immediate referral and symptoms suggestive of spinal metastases. Multivariate analysis was performed to identify factors predictive of postoperative ambulatory function. Delays in treatment were identified and categorized into patient delay (onset of symptoms till initial medical consultation), diagnostic delay (medical consultation till radiological diagnosis of MESCC), referral delay (from diagnosis till spine surgeon review) and surgical delay (from spine surgeon review till surgery) and compared between patients. RESULTS: One hundred and seventy-eight patients were identified. In this cohort 92 (52.0%) patients were able to ambulate independently, and 86 (48.3%) patients were non independent. One hundred and thirty-nine (78.1%) of patients had symptoms of cord compression and 93 (52.3%) had neurological deficits on presentation. On multivariate analysis, pre-operative neurological deficits (P=0.01) and symptoms of cord compression (P=0.01) were significantly associated with post-operative ambulatory function. Mean total delay was 66 days, patient delay was 41 days, diagnostic delay was 16 days, referral delay was 3 days and surgical delay was 6 days. In patients with neurological deficits, there was a significant decrease in all forms of treatment delay (P<0.05). There was no significant decrease in patient delay, diagnostic delay and referral delay in patients with symptoms of cord compression. CONCLUSIONS: Both patients and physicians understand the need for urgent surgical treatment of MESCC with neurological deficits, however there is still a need for increased education and recognition of the symptoms of MESCC.

Application of Artificial Intelligence Methods on Osteoporosis Classification with Radiographs-A Systematic Review.

Osteoporosis is a complex endocrine disease characterized by a decline in bone mass and microstructural integrity. It constitutes a major global health problem. Recent progress in the field of artificial intelligence (AI) has opened new avenues for the effective diagnosis of osteoporosis via radiographs. This review investigates the application of AI classification of osteoporosis in radiographs. A comprehensive exploration of electronic repositories (ClinicalTrials.gov, Web of Science, PubMed, MEDLINE) was carried out in adherence to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses 2020 statement (PRISMA). A collection of 31 articles was extracted from these repositories and their significant outcomes were consolidated and outlined. This encompassed insights into anatomical regions, the specific machine learning methods employed, the effectiveness in predicting BMD, and categorizing osteoporosis. Through analyzing the respective studies, we evaluated the effectiveness and limitations of AI osteoporosis classification in radiographs. The pooled reported accuracy, sensitivity, and specificity of osteoporosis classification ranges from 66.1% to 97.9%, 67.4% to 100.0%, and 60.0% to 97.5% respectively. This review underscores the potential of AI osteoporosis classification and offers valuable insights for future research endeavors, which should focus on addressing the challenges in technical and clinical integration to facilitate practical implementation of this technology.

Oncologic Applications of Artificial Intelligence and Deep Learning Methods in CT Spine Imaging-A Systematic Review.

In spinal oncology, integrating deep learning with computed tomography (CT) imaging has shown promise in enhancing diagnostic accuracy, treatment planning, and patient outcomes. This systematic review synthesizes evidence on artificial intelligence (AI) applications in CT imaging for spinal tumors. A PRISMA-guided search identified 33 studies: 12 (36.4%) focused on detecting spinal malignancies, 11 (33.3%) on classification, 6 (18.2%) on prognostication, 3 (9.1%) on treatment planning, and 1 (3.0%) on both detection and classification. Of the classification studies, 7 (21.2%) used machine learning to distinguish between benign and malignant lesions, 3 (9.1%) evaluated tumor stage or grade, and 2 (6.1%) employed radiomics for biomarker classification. Prognostic studies included three (9.1%) that predicted complications such as pathological fractures and three (9.1%) that predicted treatment outcomes. AI's potential for improving workflow efficiency, aiding decision-making, and reducing complications is discussed, along with its limitations in generalizability, interpretability, and clinical integration. Future directions for AI in spinal oncology are also explored. In conclusion, while AI technologies in CT imaging are promising, further research is necessary to validate their clinical effectiveness and optimize their integration into routine practice.

Evaluation of the role and cost-effectiveness of end-of-life orthopaedic interventions in cancer patients with skeletal metastases to the hip.

This study aimed to evaluate the effect of hip reconstruction on patients with skeletal metastases to the hip. We investigated the effect of hip reconstruction on quality of life and ambulatory status, as well as cost-effectiveness of hip reconstruction in this group of patients.