Giant cell tumor of the thoracic spine simulating mediastinal neoplasm.
A case of giant cell tumor of the thoracic spine simulating mediastinal neoplasm was identified on plain films, CT scans, MR images, and with scintigraphy. CT showed a hypervascular soft-tissue mass with shell-like calcification in the right upper mediastinum. MR imaging showed a collapse of the T1 vertebral body and a mass extending to the mediastinum. The mass had a low signal on T1-weighted MR images and a predominantly high signal on T2-weighted images with heterogeneity. Technetium-99m methylene diphosphonate bone scintigraphy showed intense uptake in both the T1 and marginal parts of the mediastinal mass. There was no accumulation of gallium-67 citrate, but 18-fluorine fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography showed marked uptake. The variation in these imaging findings played an important role in the differential diagnosis of this uncommon mediastinal mass.
Sakurai
H
H
Department of Radiology and Radiation Oncology, Gunma University School of Medicine, Maebashi, Japan.
Mitsuhashi
N
N
Hayakawa
K
K
Niibe
H
H
D000328:Adult; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D003952:Diagnostic Imaging; D005260:Female; D018212:Giant Cell Tumor of Bone / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008479:Mediastinal Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology; D013125:Spinal Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology; D013904:Thoracic Vertebrae / Q000473:pathology*