Atypical presentation of vertebral bone metastasis from lung cancer

The authors describe a case of lung cancer in a 55-year-old man who complai ned of back pain. Initial isotopic bone scanning showed no abnormality, how ever, magnetic resonance (MRI) imaging revealed bone metastasis in thoracic vertebral bone. Even when there is no typical findings of metastasis in bo ne scintigraphy, MRI imaging would be useful if vertebral bone metastasis i s suspected. MRI imaging is an important modality to evaluate extraosseous extension and marrow invasion of metastatic tumors.