Multimodal imaging in the diagnosis of bone giant cell tumors: A retrospective study

Background: Giant cell tumor of bone is a locally aggressive and rarely metastasizing tumor, and also a potential malignant tumor that may develop into a primary malignant giant cell tumor.

Aim: To evaluate the role of multimodal imaging in the diagnosis of giant cell tumors of bone.

Methods: The data of 32 patients with giant cell tumor of bone confirmed by core-needle biopsy or surgical pathology at our hospital between March 2018 and March 2023 were retrospectively selected. All the patients with giant cell tumors of the bone were examined by X-ray, computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and 7 of them were examined by positron emission tomography (PET)-CT.

Results: X-ray imaging can provide overall information on giant cell tumor lesions. CT and MRI can reveal the characteristics of the internal structure of the tumor as well as the adjacent relationships of the tumor, and these methods have unique advantages for diagnosing tumors and determining the scope of surgery. PET-CT can detect small lesions and is highly valuable for identifying benign and malignant tumors to aid in the early diagnosis of metastasis.

Conclusion: Multimodal imaging plays an important role in the diagnosis of giant cell tumor of bone and can provide a reference for the treatment of giant cell tumors.