radiological appearance of bone tumours
Last reviewed 01/2018
When looking at a radiograph of a possible bone tumour one should consider the following points:
- is the lesion lytic or sclerotic ?
- is the cortex intact, eroded or broken ?
- is the cortex indented? If so, from outside or inside ?
- is the medullary cavity wider than normal ?
- is there a Codman's triangle ?
- if the tumour is fusiform, is there an onion skin appearance ? suggests Ewing's tumour
- is there any sunray calcification ? suggests an osteogenic sarcoma