Osteoblastoma: the Role of MRI in Diagnosis / 实用放射学杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective To study the MRI characteristics of osteoblastoma and to discuss its diagnostic value. Methods Nine patients with osteoblastoma proved by pathology were examined with T_2WI, nonenhanced T_1WI and Gd-DTPA enhanced T_1WI MR imaging before operation MR finding were analyzed. Results Of nine patients, tumor originated from spine in five patients, from skull in three patients and from pelvis in one patient. Of these patients, benign osteoblastoma were in six patients and malignant were in three patients. On MRI, the tumor was an expanded osteolytic lesion, osteoid production formation was low or equal signal intensity on T_1WI and medial or high signal intensity on T_2WI. MRI showed low signal intensity of the calcification or ossification in osteoblastoma on T_2WI, and low or equal signal intensity on T_1WI. The ossified ring of tumor was low signal intensity on both T_1- and T_2WI. The adjacent soft tissue masses were showed on MRI. All patients given gadolinium showed enhancement within the osteoid production and the adjacent soft tissue mass, and no enhancement with ossification and calcification, cystoid and the ossified ring on MRI. The boundary of malignant osteoblastoma was obscure, and adjacent tissue could be invaded.Conclusion MR imaging can show all the characteristics of osteoblastoma well . It is of important value in diagnosis, operative orientation and staging of osteoblastoma, especially for the lesion originated from spine and skull.