title: Diagnosis and treatment of giant cell tumor in the thoracic spine.
abstract: A 23-year-old woman with incomplete paralysis was operated upon for a giant cell tumor in the thoracic spine. X-ray films revealed a destruction lesion in the vertebral body of the 12th thoracic vertebra. On the plain thoracic computed tomography scan, the finding was a soap-bubble appearance with a linear high density area in the mass lesion which destroyed the vertebral body. Preoperative angiography showed no apparent feeding artery to the tumor tissue; preoperative myelography showed incomplete block at the level of the 12th thoracic vertebra. A radical operation was carried out in one stage via a combined antero-posterior approach. In order to give radiotherapy immediately after operation, a vascular pedicled rib graft was made. This paper discusses the role of thoracic computed tomography scan in the diagnosis of giant cell tumor and the surgical techniques used in treatment.
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, First Hospital, Beijing Medical University, China.
authors.forename: S C
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Yan
authors.forename: Q M
authors.initials: QM
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.forename: J R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Lin
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D005260:Female; D005870:Giant Cell Tumors / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000628:therapy; D006801:Humans; D011859:Radiography; D011882:Radiotherapy, High-Energy; D012272:Ribs / Q000637:transplantation; D013125:Spinal Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000628:therapy; D013904:Thoracic Vertebrae