Pediatric Upper Cervical Spine Giant Cell Tumor: Case Report

Imaging Features of Aggressive Giant Cell Tumors of the Mobile Spine: Retrospective Analysis of 101 Patients From Single Center

STUDY DESIGN

Retrospective study.

OBJECTIVES

Giant cell tumors (GCTs) of the mobile spine can be locally aggressive. This study described and classified the typical and atypical appearance of aggressive spinal GCTs according to imaging findings to help the imaging diagnosis, especially for patients with rapid neurological deficit that may require emergent surgery without biopsy.

METHODS

Computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans of patients diagnosed with aggressive spinal GCTs at single center were reviewed.

RESULTS

Overall, 101 patients with 100 CT images and 94 MR images were examined. All lesions were osteolytic with cortical destruction; 95 lesions showed epidural extension; 90 were centered in the vertebral body; 82 showed pathological fracture and/or collapse of the vertebral body; 78 had pseudotrabeculation on CT; 80 showed low-to-iso signal intensity or heterogeneous high-signal intensity with cystic areas on the T2-weighted images; 9 showed fluid-fluid level on T2-weighted images; and 61 patients showed marked enhancement on contrast-enhanced CT and/or MRI. Forty-one lesions (40.6%) had at least 1 atypical radiographic feature: 19 involved ≥2 segments; 11 were centered in the posterior neural arch; 10 had a paravertebral mass over 2 segments; 16 showed partial margin sclerosis with partial cortical destruction on CT scans; and 3 showed mineralization within the tumor on CT. Eighty-eight patients underwent CT-guided biopsy with a diagnostic accuracy rate of 94.3%.

CONCLUSIONS

Spinal GCTs might appear more radiologically atypical, and about 40% of the lesions may have at least 1 atypical feature. CT-guided biopsies are recommended for definitive diagnosis.

Multiprofessional Management of Giant Cell Tumors in the Cervical Spine: A Systematic Review

BACKGROUND

Giant cell tumors of the bone (GCTB) are rare bone tumors, especially in the cervical spine. Generally considered benign, local aggressiveness and metastatic growth have been described. Surgical concepts for GCTB are challenged by complex neurovascular anatomy. Specific clinical management guidelines are nonexistent. This systematic review aims to compile existing evidence on the treatment of GCTB of the cervical spine.

METHODS

Four electronic databases were searched: Medline, Embase, Web of Science, and Cochrane Library. All clinical studies reporting the treatment of GCTB in the human cervical spine in English language were found eligible for review.

RESULTS

Seven studies were included in the synthesis including a total number of 54 patients. Of those patients, 46 (85%) were treated for naive nonrecurrent GCTB. Only 1 study is considered a cohort study; all other studies were case reports. Generally, intralesional procedures were performed in 13 (24%) cases. Subtotal resections were reported for 11 (20%) patients. Twenty-eight (52%) patients were surgically treated with piecemeal resection, en-bloc resection, or spondylectomy. Thirty-six (67%) patients underwent adjuvant radiotherapy. A combination of radiotherapy and chemotherapy was reported in 2 (4%) cases. Bisphosphonates were prescribed for 9 (17%) patients. Inconsistent reporting of outcome data did not allow for comparative analyses.

CONCLUSIONS

Best available evidence suggests that the most aggressive surgical approach should be the main goal of any GCTB surgery. No specific adjuvant or neoadjuvant treatment can be recommended as superior due to a lack of comparative data. Therapeutic approaches need to be planned thoroughly on an individual basis.

Giant cell tumor of the eleventh thoracic vertebra in a pediatric patient: an interesting case report and comprehensive literature review

INTRODUCTION

Giant cell tumors of the mobile spinal column are very rare tumors, especially in the pediatric age group. Although they are benign tumors, they have locally aggressive growth pattern and high risk of recurrence.

CASE PRESENTATION

We report a 15-year-old female patient with thoracic giant cell tumor who underwent percutaneous vertebroplasty and had cement extravasation into the spinal canal. Because of the deterioration of the patient's neurological condition, total enbloc spondylectomy and cement excision were performed. She underwent instrumentation and fusion procedures in order to prevent spinal instability.

CONCLUSION

The main purpose of the treatment is gross total resection of the giant cell tumor. However, adjuvant methods such as denosumab should be added to the treatment protocol in patients who are older than 2 years old and can not undergo gross total resection due to tumor size and anatomic localization.

Computed Tomography and Magnetic Resonance Imaging Manifestations of Spinal Monostotic Fibrous Dysplasia

Aim:

The purpose of the study was to analyze and summarize the computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) findings of spinal monostotic fibrous dysplasia (MFD) as well as evaluate the clinical value of CT and MRI in MFD diagnosis.

Materials and Methods:

CT (n = 4) and MRI (n = 5) images of six patients with pathologically confirmed spinal MFD were examined. The assessed image features included location, shape, rib involvement, vertebral collapse, margin, attenuation, and sclerotic rim on CT, as well as signal intensity, dark signal rim, and enhancement pattern on MRI.

Results:

In total, four of six patients underwent CT scanning. The most common findings on CT scanning were expansile lesions (n = 4), sclerotic rims (n = 4), and ground-glass opacity (GGO) (n = 4). In total, five of six patients underwent MRI. The lesions were low-signal intensity (n = 2), low-to-isointense signal intensity (n = 1), and low-signal intensity with several isointense portions (n = 2) on T1-weighted imaging (T1WI). The lesions were low-signal intensity (n = 1), isointense to high intensity (n = 1), and isointense signal intensity with several high portions (n = 3) on T2WI. A dark signal rim was found in most cases on T1WI and T2WI (n = 4). The lesions (n = 2) showed obvious enhancement.

Conclusions:

The CT and MRI manifestations of spinal MFD have the following characteristics: expansile lesion, GGO, sclerotic rim, and no obvious soft-tissue mass. The combined use of CT and MRI examinations is necessary for patients with suspected spinal MFD.

Three-dimensional finite element analysis of a newly developed aliform internal fixation system for occipitocervical fusion

For patients with occipital malformation, it is difficult to obtain reliable stability using three screws on the midline. A new aliform occipitocervical internal fixation system was designed. The occiput was fixed with 3, 7, or 11 screws, and a three-dimensional finite element model of the system was established. A compressive preload of 40N combined with a pure moment of 1.5Nm was applied to simulate normal flexion, extension, lateral bending, and axial rotation. The stress distribution across the screws on the occiput and the occipital displacement produced by the newly developed system were compared with those produced by the DePuy SUMMIT system. Compared with the SUMMIT system (control group), in the new system, the maximum stress on the occiputs fixed with 3 screws (group A) and 7 screws (group B) increased by 16.5% and 15.0%, respectively. In contrast, the maximum stress on the occiput fixed with 11 screws (group C) decreased by 15.6%. In addition, the maximum occipital displacements under extension decreased by 10.0%, 11.4%, and 11.8% in the A, B, and, C groups, respectively. Our results indicate that both group A and the control group exhibited sufficient strength and instant stability; however, group C exhibited the highest stability and the lowest maximum von Mises stress.