Imaging appearance of giant cell tumour of the spine above the sacrum

Br J Radiol. 2015 Jul;88(1051):20140566. doi: 10.1259/bjr.20140566. Epub 2015 Apr 29.

Abstract

Giant cell tumour (GCT) of the spine is rarely encountered in daily clinical practice. Most of the tumours occur at the sacrum instead of at the spine above the sacrum, which has been reported to account for 1.3-9.3% of all spine GCTs. This article is a review of our radiological experience of the diagnosis of spine GCT above the sacrum based on 34 patients at a single institution. The purpose of this pictorial review is to highlight the imaging findings of GCT and to provide clues that may distinguish it from other, more common neoplasms.

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Cervical Vertebrae / diagnostic imaging
  • Cervical Vertebrae / pathology
  • Diagnosis, Differential
  • Female
  • Giant Cell Tumor of Bone / diagnostic imaging*
  • Giant Cell Tumor of Bone / pathology*
  • Humans
  • Lumbar Vertebrae / diagnostic imaging
  • Lumbar Vertebrae / pathology
  • Magnetic Resonance Imaging
  • Spinal Neoplasms / diagnostic imaging*
  • Spinal Neoplasms / pathology*
  • Thoracic Vertebrae / diagnostic imaging
  • Thoracic Vertebrae / pathology
  • Tomography, X-Ray Computed