EVALUATION OF SUSPECTED OSTEOID OSTEOMA

A technique of computed tomography with intravenous contrast has prove n useful in the differentiation between osteoid osteoma and other simi lar appearing lucent lesions of bone in 6 cases. The clinical evaluati on of benign appearing radiolucent lesions of long bones has been grea tly improved by the use of modern imaging techniques, The differential diagnosis often is narrowed to osteoid osteoma and osteomyelitis base d on plain radiographs, computed tomography, or magnetic resonance ima ging, The enhancement of the lucent center of the lesion was plotted a gainst time, The rapid uptake of contrast medium by the osteoid osteom a was in sharp contrast to the much slower enhancement in osteomyeliti s. The establishment of a preoperative diagnosis enabled the surgeon t o excise the lesion without a biopsy, Histologic review verified the p reoperative diagnosis in all cases.