Giant Cell Tumor and Giant Cell Reparative Granuloma of Bone of the Head: CT and MR Imaging Findings

Abstract

Background: This study aimed to determine the features and differentiation of Giant Cell Reparative Granuloma (GCRG) and Giant Cell Tumor (GCT) of the head on CT and MRI.

Methods: This retrospective study included six patients with histopathology-confirmed head GCRG and 5 patients with histopathology-confirmed head GCT. All images were independently reviewed by two radiologists. The growth pattern, bone changes, MRI signal intensity, enhancement patterns and other image features were recorded. All patients received CT scans and MR images.

Results: All the lesions were located centrally in the bone. Osteolytic bone destruction and expansive growth patterns were observed on CT images. Four of six cases broke the cortical bone with residual cortical bone, and the last two showed a thin cortex in GCRG. Five cases broke the cortical bone with residual cortical bone in GCT. There were enhancing septations in GCT lesions on contrast- enhanced T1-Weighted Images (T1WI) while enhancing septations were not present in GCRG cases. The size of GCT lesions was larger than that of GRCG. GCRG and GCT showed iso-low signals on T1WI and iso-high signals on T2-Weighted Images (T2WI). There was a case with cystic or necrotic lesions in each of the two types of lesions. Osteolytic bone destruction and expansive growth patterns were observed in GCTs and GCRGs.

Conclusion: The size of the GRCG lesion was smaller than that of the GCT. The presence of enhancing septations and the size of the lesion may distinguish GCTs from GCRG.

Keywords: GCRG; Giant cell reparative granuloma; benign lesion; computed tomography; giant cell tumor; magnetic resonance imaging.