Imaging Pediatric Bone Tumors

摘要

After completing this article, readers should be able to: Understand why radiography is the most valuable tool for diagnosing bone tumors. State the bone lesion characteristics used to differentiate between benign and malignant tumors. Discuss the appearance of bone destruction patterns on radiographs, computed tomography, and magnetic resonance images. List the types of malignant and benign bone tumors found in children. Describe how various tumors present radiographically. Explain when magnetic resonance imaging is appropriate for diagnosis and treatment of tumors. Benign and malignant bone tumors are common in pediatric patients. Early detection of malignant tumors gives patients the best chance at survival. Children with bone tumors have vague symptoms. They also have difficulty articulating symptoms and recognizing the cause of pain. For these reasons, physicians recommend that pediatric patients with complaints of vague pain and symptoms be screened with diagnostic radiography for early detection. Limping always should be examined closely and never dismissed as growing pain. Radiography is the most valuable diagnostic tool for diagnosing bone tumors because it can demonstrate all the differentiating characteristics in a single examination, and it establishes tumor location as well. Computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance (MR) imaging are vital for establishing tumor invasion and staging of malignant lesions.