Combined radiology and cytology in the diagnosis of bone lesions--a review of 399 cases.

Abstract

Most patients with symptoms from the locomotor system undergo radiological examination, among which a minority is found to have a lesion arousing the suspicion of neoplasia. The diagnosis of primary bone tumors is generally perceived as difficult. A main reason is the low incidence making it difficult to gain wide diagnostic experience. Basically, this can only be attained at referral centers. However, even for specialists the diagnosis of bone lesions may pose considerable difficulties because of highly variable macroand microfeatures (Figure 1). Hence, it is important to collect data from different diagnostic modalities while considering also age, clinical history and clinical findings. Most importantly, the diagnostic approach should entail both a macroand a microcharacterization. Over the last years, core needle biopsy and fine needle aspiration have gradually gained acceptance as a diagnostic alternative to open biopsy to circumvent associated inconveniences and risks (Hajdu 1971, Tehranzadeh et al. 1983, El-Khoury Combined radiology and cytology in the diagnosis of bone lesions—a review of 399 cases