Magnetic resonance imaging in the diagnosis and local staging of primary bone tumors

Objective: To evaluate relationship of magnetic resonance (MR) imaging in the diagnosis and local staging of primary bone tumors with histopathological and surgical outcome. Design: Cross-sectional comparative study. Place and Duration of Study: Radiology Department, The Aga Khan University Hospital, Karachi from December 1999 to March 2002. Subjects and Methods: Thirty patients suspected of having primary bone tumors were selected. MRI scans were evaluated for local staging including intramedullary tumor length, cortical, soft tissue, neuro-vascular, joint and epiphyseal involvement. MR staging was compared with surgical and pathological staging and MR diagnosis with histopathological diagnosis considering benign and malignant tumors and specific diagnosis. Results: The study included 30 patients with age ranging from 5 - 75 years (mean 30.1 years). Twenty-three patients had malignant and 7 benign tumors. On MRI, 25 tumors were characterized as malignant and 2 tumors were false positive for malignancy. Conclusion: MR imaging proved to be accurate in local staging of bone tumors and determination of the extent of disease in benign tumors.