BRONJ
Pronunciation: BEE-ron-jay (initialism spoken as letters: B-R-O-N-J)
Also written as: BRONJ — Bisphosphonate-Related Osteonecrosis of the Jaw
Bisphosphonate-Related Osteonecrosis of the Jaw; a form of medication-related jaw necrosis specifically associated with bisphosphonate drug therapy.
Full Definition
BRONJ (Bisphosphonate-Related Osteonecrosis of the Jaw) is a condition characterised by exposed, necrotic bone in the jaw persisting for more than eight weeks in patients receiving or having received bisphosphonate therapy, with no history of radiation to the jaw. It was the original nomenclature before being subsumed by the broader term MRONJ (Medication-Related Osteonecrosis of the Jaw), which encompasses other antiresorptive and antiangiogenic agents. Editors working with older literature or medicolegal documents may encounter BRONJ and must understand that in contemporary usage MRONJ is preferred. The distinction is clinically and editorially important to preserve when working with historical or context-specific documents.
Usage
Usage note: BRONJ is now considered an outdated term superseded by MRONJ. When editing contemporary clinical documents, query the author and update to MRONJ unless the document explicitly addresses bisphosphonate-specific cases or historical context.
In Context
- "The 2009 case series used the term BRONJ, which editors should annotate as the predecessor to the current MRONJ classification." — Systematic review manuscript
- "BRONJ: exposed necrotic bone, ≥8 weeks' duration, bisphosphonate exposure confirmed, no prior radiation therapy." — Diagnostic criteria table