Frozen section diagnostics in osteopathology

Bone tumors are very rare and this is the reason why frozen section diagnosis is often difficult. The orthopedic surgeon wants to know the intraoperative diagnosis of biopsies of benign or malignant bone tumors so that definitive treatment can be carried out immediately in cases of diagnostic certainty. Diagnostic problems not only concern the distinction of benign and malignant tumors but also differentiation of a neoplastic from a reactive process. Clinical information is very important and all patients with bone tumors are discussed before surgical treatment in an interdisciplinary tumor board. Internationally but with the exception of the USA, the diagnostic procedure using frozen sections is not commonly used even in specialized centers.