Pathological fracture risk (Harrington criteria)
Last revised by Daniel J Bell ◉ on 5 Aug 2019
Citation, DOI, disclosures and article data
Citation:
Knipe H, Bell D, Rezaee A, et al. Pathological fracture risk (Harrington criteria). Reference article, Radiopaedia.org (Accessed on 25 Sep 2023) https://doi.org/10.53347/rID-40746
Permalink:
rID:
40746
Article created:
Disclosures:
At the time the article was created Henry Knipe had no recorded disclosures.
View Henry Knipe's current disclosuresLast revised:
5 Aug 2019, Daniel J Bell ◉
Disclosures:
At the time the article was last revised Daniel J Bell had no recorded disclosures.
View Daniel J Bell's current disclosuresRevisions:
10 times, by 6 contributors - see full revision history and disclosures
Systems:
Sections:
Tags:
Synonyms:
- Harrington's criteria
- Pathological fracture risk: Harrington's criteria
- Harrington's criteria of pathological fracture risk
Harrington criteria can be used to predict which long bone skeletal metastases are at high risk of pathological fracture and should undergo prophylactic internal fixation. It preceded the Mirels classification for impending pathological fracture but has not been validated and its use is debated.
Classification
- >50% cortical bone destruction
- lesion >2.5 cm in size
- pathological avulsion fracture of the lesser trochanter
- functional pain after radiation therapy
References
- 1. Piccioli A, Spinelli MS, Maccauro G. Impending fracture: A difficult diagnosis. (2014) Injury. 45 Suppl 6: S138-41. doi:10.1016/j.injury.2014.10.038 - Pubmed
- 2. Browner BD, Jupiter JB, Krettek C et-al. Skeletal Trauma: Expert Consult (Browner, Skeletal Trauma). Saunders. ISBN:B00QT83ORI. Read it at Google Books - Find it at Amazon
- 3. Intramedullary Nailing: A Comprehensive Guide. Springer. ISBN:B00S5XKUGI. Read it at Google Books - Find it at Amazon
Related articles: Bone tumours
The differential diagnosis for bone tumors is dependent on the age of the patient, with a very different set of differentials for the pediatric patient.
-
bone tumors
- bone-forming tumors
- cartilage-forming tumors
- bizarre parosteal osteochondromatous proliferation (Nora lesion)
- chondroblastoma
- chondromyxoid fibroma
- chondrosarcoma
- enchondroma
- juxtacortical chondroma
- osteochondroma
- fibrous bone lesions
- bone marrow tumors
- other bone tumors or tumor-like lesions
- adamantinoma
- aneurysmal bone cyst
- benign fibrous histiocytoma
- chordoma
- giant cell tumor of bone
- Gorham massive osteolysis
- hemangioendothelioma
- haemophilic pseudotumor
- intradiploic epidermoid cyst
- intraosseous lipoma
- musculoskeletal angiosarcoma
- musculoskeletal hemangiopericytoma
- primary intraosseous hemangioma
- post-traumatic cystic bone lesion
- simple bone cyst
-
skeletal metastases
- morphology
- location
- impending fracture risk
- staging
- approach
- describing a bone lesion
- differentials