UNUSUAL IMAGING FINDINGS IN ASSOCIATION WITH SPINAL OSTEOBLASTOMA

This paper describes four patients with spinal osteoblastoma that had unusual imaging features, Two cases arose in the cervical spine and tw o in the thoracic spine, Three tumours were associated with diffuse sc lerosis of the vertebral body (an 'ivory vertebra'), All of these lesi ons either arose in the vertebral body or extended into the body from the adjacent pedicle, Reactive sclerosis at multiple levels was seen i n three cases (one involving adjacent vertebral bodies, two involving adjacent pedicles or laminae and one involving multiple ribs), Osteoph yte formation was identified bridging the disc space on the concave si de of a scoliosis in two cases, Another case had an unusual scintigrap hic appearance with an area of linear activity adjacent to the tumour, The finding of an 'ivory vertebra' in a child or young adult should r aise the possibility of osteoblastoma involving the vertebral body, es pecially if there is an associated scoliosis.