Bone tumors of the coracoid process of the scapula

Bone tumors of the coracoid process of the scapula are rare, and diagnosis and treatment often are delayed. The records of 18 patients with bone tumor s of the coracoid process were reviewed. Histologic types included eight ca ses of ordinary chondrosarcoma, three cases of dedifferentiated chondrosarc oma, two cases of osteoid osteoma, and one case each of osteosarcoma, plasm acytoma, lymphoma, giant cell tumor, and aneurysmal bone cyst. All 18 patie nts had shoulder pain, and eight of them had been treated with steroid inje ctions for nonneoplastic conditions. Radiologically, chondrosarcoma did not always show clear cortical destruction, and one giant cell tumor had featu res mimicking those of chondrosarcoma. Five patients (three with dedifferen tiated chondrosarcoma, one with chondrosarcoma, one with plasmacytoma) died of disease. The coracoid process was the site with a markedly high proport ion of chondrosarcomas. Bone tumors of the coracoid process may be difficul t to detect on plain radiographs. In the patient with persistent shoulder p ain unresponsive to the selected treatment, additional imaging studies shou ld be considered to eliminate the possibility of a bone lesion.