A misdiagnosed case of osteoid osteoma of the talus: a case report and literature review

Interest of targeted computed tomography guided by scintigraphy in the diagnosis of an osteoid osteoma of the talus: A surgical case report

INTRODUCTION AND IMPORTANCE

Osteoid osteoma is a benign primary bone tumor with a predilection for the long bones and vertebrae, presenting a unique challenge when occurring in rare locations such as the talus, accounting for 5 to 8 % of cases. Early imaging struggles to detect its nidus, leading to diagnostic delays, especially when atypical symptoms and previous trauma complicate clinical presentations. This case report illustrates the diagnostic challenges and emphasizes the importance of targeted computed tomography (CT) guided by scintigraphy in diagnosing osteoid osteoma of the talus.

CASE PRESENTATION

A 23-year-old male presented with chronic left ankle pain spanning three years, with a history of previous trauma. Initial evaluations including standard radiology and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) suggested algodystrophy of the talus and tenosynovitis, but failed to identify the osteoma. Persistent pain led to further investigation with bone scintigraphy, revealing hyperfixation indicative of partial algodystrophy. Targeted CT scans focused on the scintigraphy-identified area ultimately revealed an osteoid osteoma's nidus, enabling successful surgical intervention and symptomatic relief.

DISCUSSION

The diagnosis of osteoid osteoma in the talus is frequently delayed due to its atypical presentation and rare occurrence. Traditional imaging techniques may overlook the tumor's nidus, underscoring the necessity for targeted diagnostic approaches. This case demonstrates the value of integrating scintigraphy with targeted CT to enhance early diagnosis and treatment planning, contrasting with the limited diagnostic yield of MRI and underscoring CT's superiority for nidus detection.

CONCLUSION

Osteoid osteoma of the talus poses significant diagnostic challenges. This case report highlights the utility of scintigraphy-guided targeted CT in identifying the nidus and facilitating prompt surgical management, advocating for a multidisciplinary approach to atypical ankle pain, especially in patients with a history of trauma.

Osteoid Osteomas of the Talus: A Case Report of Four Patients

Osteoid osteomas are benign bone tumors that are commonly found in the cortical segments of long bone but can occasionally occur in the talus of the foot. They typically present in younger males and are characterized by lesions with a vascularized nidus surrounded by sclerotic bone. Plain radiographs can often miss the diagnosis, requiring further imaging with computed tomography (CT) or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Lesions often lead to a significant inflammatory response resulting in an impaired range of motion and nocturnal pain. Conservative management with non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medications and a walking boot is considered first-line therapy, with failure to respond being an indication for surgical intervention. Surgical treatment traditionally consisted of en bloc resection but has been replaced by CT-guided radio-frequency ablation (RFA) when conservative management has failed. Four cases of osteoid osteoma of the talus are presented which all went on to RFA after conservative management failed. The patients' non-specific symptomatology and unremarkable findings on plain radiographs led to further evaluation using MRI or CT, which aided in the diagnosis. Following imaging, RFA was performed which resulted in 100% relief of pain and symptoms in all four patients and a return to full activity without limitations. Osteoid osteomas of the talus present unique challenges due to the non-specific symptoms and complex surrounding anatomy that accompanies this condition. Management should include the use of CT for localization and RFA of the lesion, which we have shown leads to complete resolution of symptoms and return to normal daily activities.

Soft tissue recurrence of an osteoid osteoma: an exceptional observation

We report the observation of the soft tissue recurrence of an osteoid osteoma (OO) in a 26-year-old man initially complaining of post-traumatic pain and swelling of the right ankle. A first arthroscopic resection was performed after the misdiagnosis of "bone irregularities" observed on computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). The diagnosis of OO was made by histological analysis of the resection material. The patient became asymptomatic for 5 years until the symptoms progressively recurred. Follow-up MRI and CT studies demonstrated a nodular bony focus within the periarticular soft tissues of the ankle. The lesion was removed, and histological analysis confirmed the diagnosis of a whole viable OO. This observation likely resulted from the displacement of the initial lesion during the initial arthroscopic procedure. This case report highlights the possibility of recurrence of OO in the soft tissues.

Endoscopic Treatment of Symptomatic Foot and Ankle Bone Cyst with 3D Printing Application

Objective

To study the efficacy of arthroscopy for treating symptomatic bone cysts of the foot and ankle through the follow-up of patients and to further explore the application value of 3D printing technology in this treatment.

Methods

Twenty-one patients with symptomatic bone cysts in the foot and ankle who underwent arthroscopic surgery in our Center from March 2010 to December 2018 were enrolled, including 11 in the experimental group and 10 in the control group. For the control group, C-arm fluoroscopy was used intraoperatively to confirm the positioning of the cysts; for the experimental group, a 3D model of the lesion tissue and the 3D-printed individualized guides were prepared to assist the positioning of the cysts. Debridement of the lesion tissues was conducted under an arthroscope. Regular follow-ups were conducted. The time of establishing arthroscopic approaches and the times of intraoperative fluoroscopy between the two groups were compared. Significance was determined as P < 0.05.

Results

The postoperative pathology of the patients confirmed the diagnosis. No significant perioperative complications were observed in either group, and no recurrence of bone cysts was seen at the last follow-up. The VAS scores and AOFAS scores of the two groups at the last follow-up were significantly improved compared with the preoperative data, but there was no statistical difference between the two groups. All surgeries were performed by the same senior surgeon. The time taken to establish the arthroscopic approaches between the two groups was statistically significant (P < 0.001), and the times of intraoperative fluoroscopy required to establish the approach were also statistically significant (P < 0.001). The intraoperative bleeding between the two groups was statistically significant (P < 0.01). There was 1 case in each group whose postoperative CT showed insufficient bone grafting, but no increase in cavity volume was observed during the follow-up.

Conclusion

With the assistance of the 3D printing technology for treating symptomatic bone cysts of the ankle and foot, the surgeon can design the operation preoperatively and perform the rehearsal, which would make it easier to establish the arthroscopic approach, better understand the anatomy, and make the operation smoother. This trial is registered with http://www.clinicaltrials.govNCT03152916.

Osteoid osteoma of the wrist misdiagnosed as de Quervain's tenosynovitis due to normal X-ray at the first visit: A case report

INTRODUCTION

Osteoid osteomas are benign bone tumors that can occur in various bones throughout the body but are mainly found in the long bones.

PRESENTATION OF THE CASE

We report the case of a patient who had been treated for more than three years for a case of de Quervain's tenosynovitis due to tenderness in the first compartment of the right wrist joint. An X-ray on his first visit to a clinic was normal, but it was eventually discovered that he had an osteoid osteoma of the wrist.

DISCUSSION

The age of onset and gender proclivity of each disease should be considered. An X-ray should be taken in cases such as this, even to diagnose tendonitis. When any symptom, such as pain, has lingered for a long time and resisted treatment, we must reconsider the diagnosis. In patients with a low risk of tendonitis, it is essential to consider the possibility of other diseases if there is no improvement after treatment. As this patient's tumor was missed on the initial X-ray, it grew to a mature case of osteoid osteoma in three years.

CONCLUSION

We experienced a very educational case of osteoid osteoma of the wrist misdiagnosed as de Quervain's tenosynovitis.

Arthroscopic excision of intraarticular subperiosteal osteoid osteoma of talar neck: A case report

Osteoid osteoma (OO) is a benign, small, and painful tumor typically seen in the subcortical shaft and metaphysis of the long bones of the lower limb. The occurrence of this type of tumor on the talar neck is rare and may cause limitation of range of motion of the ankle joint. In this article, a 17-year-old male patient had ankle pain and limitation of joint motion accompanied by synovitis. The OO in the intraarticular subperiosteal talar neck was successfully excised arthroscopically and the nidus was completely removed. The diagnosis was confirmed histopathologically in the postoperative period. In this case, we achieved a successful result with surgical treatment of benign bone tumor in the talus with intraarticular excision of the lesion arthroscopically.

Intra-articular osteoid osteoma accompanied by extensive bone marrow edema. A clinical and micro-morphological analysis

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A series of patients with intra-articular osteoid osteoma (OO) is demonstrated.

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Extensive and persistent bone marrow edema syndrome masked the correct diagnosis.

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No consistent patterns of impaired bone mineral status could be confirmed in these patients.

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Nidus specimens displayed significantly higher mineralization heterogeneity determined by qBEI.

Osteoid osteoma (OO) is a benign bone tumor producing non-mineralized bone matrix (i.e., osteoid). While peritumoral edema is commonly found in OO, extensive bone marrow edema has been reported less frequently. Furthermore, the micro-morphological characteristics of the nidus and its central calcification remain unclear. In this study, a consecutive series of four patients suffering from extensive bone marrow edema triggered by intra-articular osteoid osteoma underwent clinical examination, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and computed tomography (CT) as well as dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) and laboratory bone turnover analyses. The obtained resection specimens were processed by undecalcified histology and were subsequently analyzed by light microscopy and quantitative backscattered electron imaging (qBEI). We report an entity of intra-articular osteoid osteoma in the knee and foot, in which an extensive and persistent bone marrow edema syndrome masked the correct diagnosis. While metabolic bone diseases were excluded in all cases, the reassessment of the patients’ clinical history including pain characteristics (nocturnal, aspirin sensitivity) led us to perform additional CT, where the tumor was diagnosed. The micro-morphological analysis of the OO biopsies revealed that the nidus was surrounded by hyperosteoidosis, while central mineralization was detected in all cases. This mineralized area showed a significantly higher mineralization heterogeneity than the surrounding trabecular bone and more disorganized collagen fibers detected by qBEI and polarized light microscopy, respectively. Taken together, our results indicate that osteoid osteoma should be considered when persistent and extensive, peri-articular bone marrow edema is diagnosed. The central calcification that is found inside the nidus in conventional imaging was mirrored by bone matrix with a heterogeneous mineralization pattern.

Diagnosis and treatment of hindfoot osteoid osteoma: A therapeutic method for each case

OBJECTIVES

1) to set a reminder of the diagnostic approach to osteoid osteomas (OOs) of the foot; 2) to define the indications of treatment for hindfoot OOs.

MATERIAL AND METHOD

5 OOs were checked (3 cases located in the talus and two cases in calcaneus). The diagnosis was established by clinical and imaging data. In all cases, a calcified nidus was identified on CT, perilesional bone oedema on MRI and focal scintigraphic uptake. Two cases were treated with radiofrequency ablation (RFA) and 3 cases with surgical resections: two open surgeries and one arthroscopic surgery. Clinical and oncological outcomes were evaluated at the end of the follow-up.

RESULTS

No complications were reported. The clinical outcome was excellent in all cases. One patient was initially treated with open surgery and then subsequently with RFA due to failure of the procedure. There were no recurrences after an average follow-up time of 4 years and 8 months (range, 1-12 years).

DISCUSSION

Hindfoot OOs are uncommon and their diagnosis is based on clinical data in conjunction with characteristic imaging findings. Their treatment choices depend on the location of the nidus and relationships with nearby anatomical structures.

CONCLUSIONS

The diagnosis of an OO of the hindfoot can be ensured when the epidemiological, clinical and imaging data are compatible with this pathological entity. RFA is indicated for intracortical or cancellous cases in which the nidus is more than 1cm off the skin and significant neurovascular structures. For all other cases an open surgical resection or arthroscopic resection would be the first choice.

Which Emerges First: Bone Marrow Edema or Nidus in Osteoid Osteoma?

This case report describes a well-documented birth and evolution of an osteoid osteoma at the talus. Although initial radiologic images indicate mild bone marrow edema at first (without nidus), subsequent magnetic resonance imaging and computed tomographic images reveal pathognomonic nidus at the talus. During the evolution of the lesion, typical night pain was coincident with the occurrence of the nidus, as seen on magnetic resonance imaging. This may be interpreted that nidus formation may be related to the night pain. In this report, the first finding was bone marrow edema. Although our classic knowledge was that the edema follows the lesion, this report makes a difference. The relationship between bone marrow edema and osteoid osteoma has not been questioned in the literature before. We speculate that this report brings to mind, the question of which comes first? A bone marrow edema or nidus? Another question is: Does osteoid osteoma always start with such a dust cloud in the bone as we presented herein?

Unusual cause of the thumb basal joint pain: osteoid osteoma of the trapezium

The trapezium is rare site of osteoid osteoma development. The diagnostic challenge lies in its rare occurrence, and requires differentiation from various disease entities causing thumb basal joint pain. We report the case of a 29-year-old male who presented with severe thumb basal joint pain. He was initially treated for calcific periarthritis because of concomitant calcifications around the thumb basal joint, but had undiscovered osteoid osteoma. A high index of suspicion to a patient with wrist pain unresponsive to prior treatment is necessary for diagnosis of osteoid osteoma.

Anterior Impingement Syndrome of the Ankle Caused by Osteoid Osteoma in the Talar Neck Treated with Arthroscopy and 3D C-Arm-Based Imaging

Osteoid osteoma in periarticular lesions tends to have an unusual presentation that likely leads to a delayed or missed diagnosis compared with a typical osteoid osteoma in the metaphysis or diaphysis of the long bone. In cases that are unresponsive to conservative treatment, surgical interventions including en bloc resection, computed tomography-guided percutaneous treatment, and arthroscopic resection have been performed; however, these methods frequently result in inadequate tumor resection and recurrence. Here we present a case of a 16-year-old girl with osteoid osteoma in the talar neck presenting as anterior impingement syndrome due to marked synovitis in the ankle joint which was successfully treated without complications by arthroscopic synovectomy and tumor resection followed by intraoperative 3D C-arm-based imaging confirming complete tumor lesion removal. Her pain was relieved immediately after the surgery, and there was no recurrence at 12 months of follow-up. This is the first case report of the surgical treatment of the osteoid osteoma in the talar neck with the combination methods of arthroscopy and 3D C-arm-based imaging.