Imaging of limb salvage surgery and pelvic reconstruction following resection of malignant bone tumours

• Advances in reconstructive orthopaedic techniques now allow for limb salvage and prosthetic reconstruction procedures to be performed on patients who would otherwise be required to undergo debilitating limb amputations for malignant bone tumours.
• The resulting post-operative imaging of such cases can be daunting for the radiologist to interpret, particularly in the presence of distorted anatomy and unfamiliar hardware.
• This article reviews the indications for limb salvage surgery, prosthetic reconstruction devices involved, expected post-operative imaging findings, as well as the potential hardware related complications that may be encountered in the management of such cases.
• By being aware of the various types of reconstructive techniques used in limb salvage surgery as well as the potential complications, the reporting radiologist should possess greater confidence in making an accurate assessment of the expected post-operative imaging findings in the management of such cases.

Advances in reconstructive orthopaedic techniques now allow for limb salvage and prosthetic reconstruction procedures to be performed on patients who would otherwise be required to undergo debilitating limb amputations for malignant bone tumours. The resulting post-operative imaging of such cases can be daunting for the radiologist to interpret, particularly in the presence of distorted anatomy and unfamiliar hardware. This article reviews the indications for limb salvage surgery, prosthetic reconstruction devices involved, expected post-operative imaging findings, as well as the potential hardware related complications that may be encountered in the management of such cases.