Magnetic resonance imaging of cartilaginous tumors: a retrospective study of 79 patients

Objective: Hyaline cartilaginous tumors are characterized by extremely high signal intensity on T2-weighted images. Recently, some distinctive MR features of cartilaginous bone tumors were reported in small series. Low signal intensity septa surrounding high signal intensity cartilage lobules were s...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:	European journal of radiology Vol. 21; no. 1; pp. 34 - 40
Main Authors:	De Beuckeleer, Luc H.L., De Schepper, Arthur M.A., Ramon, Frank, Somville, John
Format:	Journal Article
Language:	English
Published:	Ireland Elsevier Ireland Ltd 01-11-1995
Subjects:	Adolescent Adult Aged Aged, 80 and over Bone and Bones - pathology Bone Neoplasms - classification Bone Neoplasms - diagnosis Bone, neoplasms Child Child, Preschool Chondroblastoma - classification Chondroblastoma - diagnosis Chondroma - classification Chondroma - diagnosis Chondromatosis, Synovial - classification Chondromatosis, Synovial - diagnosis Chondrosarcoma - classification Chondrosarcoma - diagnosis Diagnosis, Differential Female Humans Infant Magnetic resonance (MR), bone Magnetic Resonance Imaging - methods Male Middle Aged Neoplasms, bone Retrospective Studies Bone, neoplasms Magnetic resonance (MR), bone Neoplasms, bone
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Summary:	Objective: Hyaline cartilaginous tumors are characterized by extremely high signal intensity on T2-weighted images. Recently, some distinctive MR features of cartilaginous bone tumors were reported in small series. Low signal intensity septa surrounding high signal intensity cartilage lobules were seen on T2-weighted images in low-grade chondrosarcomas. On spin-echo T1-weighted images after Gd contrast injection, marked ‘septal’ or ‘ring-and-arc’ enhancement was observed in low-grade chondrosarcomas and enchondromas. The purpose of this study was to determine sensitivity and specificity of these MR findings in diagnosis of cartilaginous tumors, and to assess the value of MR in diagnostic workup of these lesions. Materials and methods: Retrospective evaluation of MR findings in 79 cartilaginous tumors and in 79 non-cartilaginous tumors. All lesions were biopsy proven. Each MR examination was independently reviewed by two experienced radiologists without knowledge of clinical data, radiographic and/or CT findings, or histological diagnosis. All lesions were evaluated for morphology (lobular or non-lobular), presence of a high signal intensity mass on T2-weighted images, presence of low signal intensity septa separating high signal intensity lobules on T2-weighted images, and evidence of septal (‘ring-and-arc’) enhancement. Results: None of the reviewed parameters is useful in diagnosing osteochondromas. Since osteochondromas have a characteristic appearance on plain radiography, the value of MR imaging in the workup of these lesions remains limited. MR findings in enchondromas have a low specificity and a low sensitivity. Low-grade chondrosarcomas, often hard to diagnose on plain radiography and difficult to differentiate from enchondromas, are characterized by the MR tandem of ‘low signal intensity septa on T2-weighted images’ together with ‘septal or ring-and-arc enhancement’ (sensitivity 92.3%, specificity 76.5%). High-grade chondrosarcomas are easily recognized on plain radiography. Conclusions: In differentiating cartilaginous from non-cartilaginous tumors, MR features are highly specific but lack sensitivity. Grading potentials of MR parameters are promising due to the high accuracy in diagnosing low-grade chondrosarcomas.
Bibliography:	ObjectType-Article-1 SourceType-Scholarly Journals-1 ObjectType-Feature-2 content type line 23
ISSN:	0720-048X 1872-7727
DOI:	10.1016/0720-048X(96)81067-9