Semin Musculoskelet Radiol 2019; 23(01): 026-035
DOI: 10.1055/s-0038-1675551
Review Article
Thieme Medical Publishers 333 Seventh Avenue, New York, NY 10001, USA.

Differential Diagnosis of Spine Tumors: My Favorite Mistake

Domenico Albano
1   Unit of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, IRCCS Istituto Ortopedico Galeazzi, Milano, Italy
,
Carmelo Messina
1   Unit of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, IRCCS Istituto Ortopedico Galeazzi, Milano, Italy
2   Department of Biomedical Sciences for Health, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milano, Italy
,
Salvatore Gitto
3   Scuola di Specializzazione in Radiodiagnostica, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milano, Italy
,
Olympia Papakonstantinou
4   2nd Department of Radiology, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, “Attikon” Hospital, Athens, Greece
,
Luca Maria Sconfienza
1   Unit of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, IRCCS Istituto Ortopedico Galeazzi, Milano, Italy
2   Department of Biomedical Sciences for Health, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milano, Italy
› Author Affiliations
Further Information

Publication History

Publication Date:
30 January 2019 (online)

Abstract

Imaging has a pivotal role in the detection and characterization of spine bone tumors (SBTs), especially using magnetic resonance (MR) imaging and computed tomography (CT). Although MR performed with conventional pulse sequences has a robust reliability in the assessment of SBTs, some imaging features of benign lesions and malignancies overlap, making the differential diagnosis challenging. Several imaging tools are now available to perform a correct interpretation of images of SBTs including diffusion-weighted imaging, dynamic contrast-enhanced MR, Dixon sequences, and dual-energy CT. Nevertheless, strengths and weaknesses of imaging modalities should be kept in mind, and it is crucial to be aware of the pitfalls that can be encountered in daily clinical practice when dealing with these lesions. This review provides an overview on the main challenges encountered when dealing with SBTs, providing some tricks of the trade to avoid possible diagnostic traps.

 
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