Quantification of recalcification of irradiated vertebral body osteolyses by dual-energy computed tomography.

In 12 patients with osteolyses of the spine, the change of the vertebral mineral content after radiotherapy was quantified by Dual-Energy Computed Tomography (CT). In 11 of the patients, recalcification of radiated vertebral body metastases could already be detected at the completion of a 4 week course of radiotherapy. However, the amount of recalcification varied considerably between the patients. The methodological approach is described and the different reactions of the vertebral body osteolyses to radiotherapy are discussed.