Benign tumors and tumorlike conditions of the spine. Radiological features, treatment, and results

Overview of the management of primary tumors of the spine

STUDY DESIGN

Narrative review.

OBJECTIVE

To provide a narrative review for diagnosis and management of Primary spine tumors.

METHODS

A detailed review of literature was done to identify relevant and well cited manuscripts to construct this narrative review.

RESULTS

Primary tumors of the spine are rare with some racial differences reported. There are numerous adjuvant technologies and developments that influence the way we currently manage these tumors. Collimated radiation allows for heavy dosage to be delivered and have been reported to give good local control both as an adjuvant and neoadjuvant setting. These have made surgical decision making even more intricate needing a multicentric approach. Dedicated care has been shown to significantly improve health quality of life measures and survival.

CONCLUSION

While, it is beyond the scope of this paper to discuss all primary tumors subtypes individually, this review highlights the developments and approach to primary spine tumors.

Progression of a Lumbar Spinal Osteoblastoma-Case Report-

A 24-year-old woman presented with a lumbar spinal osteoblastoma manifesting as a 5-year history of low back pain radiating to the left foot. Neuroimaging showed suspicious hypertrophy of the left L4-5 facet which transformed in 3 years to an expansile mass lesion that compressed the dura mater and neural structures. Primary benign bone tumors such as osteoblastoma and osteoid osteoma should be considered in the differential diagnosis of back pain and the patients should be followed up carefully.

From the archives of AFIP. Imaging of giant cell tumor and giant cell reparative granuloma of bone: radiologic-pathologic correlation

The radiologic features of giant cell tumor (GCT) and giant cell reparative granuloma (GCRG) of bone often strongly suggest the diagnosis and reflect their pathologic appearance. At radiography, GCT often demonstrates a metaepiphyseal location with extension to subchondral bone. GCRG has a similar appearance but most commonly affects the mandible, maxilla, hands, or feet. Computed tomography and magnetic resonance (MR) imaging are helpful in staging lesions, particularly in delineating soft-tissue extension. Cystic (secondary aneurysmal bone cyst) components are reported in 14% of GCTs. However, biopsy must be directed at the solid regions, which harbor diagnostic tissue. These solid components demonstrate low to intermediate signal intensity at T2-weighted MR imaging, a feature that can be helpful in diagnosis. Multiple GCTs, although rare, do occur and may be associated with Paget disease. Malignant GCT accounts for 5%-10% of all GCTs and is usually secondary to previous irradiation of benign GCT. Treatment of GCT usually consists of surgical resection. Recurrence is seen in 2%-25% of cases, and imaging is vital for early detection. Recognition of the spectrum of radiologic appearances of GCT and GCRG is important in allowing prospective diagnosis, guiding therapy, and facilitating early detection of recurrence.

Vertebral osteoblastoma: are radiologic structural changes necessary for diagnosis?

BACKGROUND

A case of osteoblastoma localized at the pedicle of the 10th thoracic vertebra is presented.

CASE DESCRIPTION

The patient complained of nocturnal back pain not relieved by salycilates, a typical symptom of osteoblastoma. Bone scintigraphy showed a lower thoracic focus of increased osteoblastic activity; however, X-rays, computed tomography, and magnetic resonance images (MRI) were within normal limits, showing only obscure changes that were also noted in the rest of the spine. Repeat MRI with contrast revealed a focal enhancement. After pediculectomy, histopathologic examination confirmed the diagnosis of osteoblastoma. Fifteen months postoperatively, the patient is symptom-free.

CONCLUSION

Our case demonstrates that some cases of osteoblastoma may not have the classical radiological appearance. Although non-contrast computed tomography and T1-weighted MRI are mildly positive in some instances, osteoblastoma is best visualized on MRI with gadolinium. Like any other neoplasm, osteoblastoma should be detected and removed early, before it can cause structural bony changes.

Spinal chondroma of the lumbar tract: case report

BACKGROUND

Cartilage-forming tumors are benign cartilaginous tumors that rarely affect the spinal canal: they account for 2% of all spinal tumors and 2.6% of all benign bone tumors. Pathologically, they may be classified as chondromas, osteochondromas, chondroblastomas, and chondromyxoid fibromas. This oncotype may remain asymptomatic (it is confined within the vertebral structure) or may present as a hard paravertebral swelling (it invades the paravertebral structures) or more rarely, with a slowly-developing neurologic syndrome (it extends into the vertebral canal).

METHODS

Thirty-one cases have been reported (including our case) of benign cartilage-forming tumors localized in the lumbar column. Only three cases of chondroma of the lumbar spine presented with lumbar radicular pain. We report a fourth case and review clinical and radiologic characteristics of these lesions.

RESULTS

Eleven out of the 31 cases were diagnosed as chondromas, 17 as osteochondromas, while in three cases the histopathologic diagnosis was not reported. Seventeen cases originated from the neural arch, seven from the vertebral body, two from the spinous process, and in five cases the exact localization was not reported. This tumor is more frequent in males (21 cases out of 31), than in females (five cases); in five cases the sex was not reported. Mean duration of symptoms was 23 +/- 5.1 months (range: 1-96); chondromas have a short clinical history before diagnosis (13.8 +/- 3.4 months) compared to osteochondromas (28.6 +/- 7.6). Clinical presentation with local swelling is reported in 10 cases, in 10 cases local pain without radicular irradiation, in six cases lumbar pain with sciatica, in two cases signs and symptoms of cord compression, one case of cauda syndrome, while in four cases no clinical details are reported. Among the six cases presenting with sciatica, four were chondromas (in all cases the L4 level was involved), and one osteochondroma, while in one case the histopathologic diagnosis was not reported.

CONCLUSION

Computed tomography is important and indispensable for preoperative diagnosis, giving a precise indication of tumor extent and location and its relationship to the adjacent structures; while MRI is helpful in detecting patterns related to histologic malignancy. It is important to examine the whole tumor histologically because it is known that there may be small areas that show signs of malignancy; thus is more likely in chondromas than osteochondromas.

Chondromas of the spine: report of two cases and review of the literature

We report two cases of vertebral chondroma presenting with spinal cord compression. In one case there was ultimate malignant transformation.

Primary tumors of the cervical spine: surgical experience with 38 cases

Thirty-eight primary tumors of the cervical spine were operated on in the Section of Neurosurgery, Department of Neurological Sciences, "La Sapienza" University of Rome between 1954 and 1988. Of these, 23 were malignant and 15 benign. The aims of surgical treatment in every case were tumor removal, decompression of the spinal cord, and conservation or restoration of vertebral stability. In no case was surgery confined to biopsy. Surgical stabilization was performed in 12 patients. Bone fusion was obtained with autologous bone (iliac crest, fibula) in benign tumors, whereas synthetic material (acrylic and metal) was used in malignant tumors. Past experience and greater awareness of the concrete possibilities of treating these tumors have led us to evolve the following strategy: 1. For aggressive benign tumors (osteoblastoma, giant cell tumors) and for malignancies in patients with fair life expectancy (solitary myeloma, chordoma): radical removal. 2. For benign tumors with low neoplastic potential and for malignant tumors in patients with poor life expectancy: conservative removal. Long-term results were gratifying in all benign lesions and low-grade malignancies even though two patients with chordomas needed reoperations. Sarcomas had relatively poor results.