American Journal of Roentgenology, Vol 158, 331-334, Copyright © 1992 by American Roentgen Ray Society

ARTICLES

Benign giant-cell tumor of bone with pulmonary metastases: clinical findings and radiologic appearance of metastases in 13 cases

WS Tubbs, LR Brown, JW Beabout, MG Rock and KK Unni
Department of Diagnostic Radiology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN 55905.

Tumors that metastasize are considered "malignant" by definition. However, benign giant-cell tumor of bone is an exception because of the potential for histologically benign pulmonary metastases, a fact seldom emphasized in the radiologic literature. We therefore report our experience with 13 cases of pulmonary metastasis among 475 patients (prevalence, 3%) in whom benign giant-cell tumor of bone was diagnosed before 1990 at our institution. Five (38%) of the 13 primary bone tumors were located in the distal radius. Local recurrence at the site of the primary bone tumor tumor occurred in seven patients (54%) before pulmonary metastases developed. The mean interval from the diagnosis of the primary bone tumor to the onset of pulmonary metastasis was 3.8 years, with a maximum of 10.7 years. Fifty-four percent of the patients (7/13) had pulmonary metastases 3 years after diagnosis of the primary bone lesion, and 92% (12/13) had pulmonary metastases 7.5 years after diagnosis. Overall mortality rate directly due to giant-cell tumor and its metastases was 23%. On chest radiographs and CT scans, pulmonary metastases appeared as rounded, nodular opacities of homogeneous density, ranging from 0.5 cm to 8.0 cm in diameter. Peripheral regions of the lungs were involved in 85% of the cases and basilar regions in 62%. Our study shows that benign giant-cell tumor of bone can produce pulmonary metastases, that metastases most often occurred with recurrent local disease and distal radial lesions, that the prognosis was relatively favorable, and that such metastases had no distinguishing radiologic features.
CiteULike    Complore    Connotea    Del.icio.us    Digg    Reddit    Technorati    What's this?

This article has been cited by other articles:

				J. Q. Ly, G. W. Arnett, and D. P. Beall Case 122: Giant Cell Tumor of the Second Metatarsal Radiology, October 1, 2007; 245(1): 288 - 291. [Full Text] [PDF]

				L. G. Strauss, A. Dimitrakopoulou-Strauss, D. Koczan, L. Bernd, U. Haberkorn, V. Ewerbeck, and H.-J. Thiesen 18F-FDG Kinetics and Gene Expression in Giant Cell Tumors J. Nucl. Med., September 1, 2004; 45(9): 1528 - 1535. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				M. D. Murphey, G. C. Nomikos, D. J. Flemming, F. H. Gannon, H. T. Temple, and M. J. Kransdorf Imaging of Giant Cell Tumor and Giant Cell Reparative Granuloma of Bone: Radiologic-Pathologic Correlation RadioGraphics, September 1, 2001; 21(5): 1283 - 1309. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				J. B. Seo, J.-G. Im, J. M. Goo, M. J. Chung, and M.-Y. Kim Atypical Pulmonary Metastases: Spectrum of Radiologic Findings RadioGraphics, March 1, 2001; 21(2): 403 - 417. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				F. Y.-I. LEE, M. MONTGOMERY, E. J. HAZAN, S. B. KEEL, H. J. MANKIN, and S. KATTAPURAM Recurrent Giant-Cell Tumor Presenting as a Soft-Tissue Mass. A Report of Four Cases J. Bone Joint Surg. Am., May 1, 1999; 81(5): 703 - 7. [Full Text]

				J. J. LEWIS, J. H. HEALEY, A. G. HUVOS, and M. BURT Benign Giant-Cell Tumor of Bone with Metastasis to Mediastinal Lymph Nodes. A Case Report of Resection Facilitated with Use of steroids J. Bone Joint Surg. Am., January 1, 1996; 78(1): 106 - 10. [Full Text]