Fluid-fluid levels detected on MRI and mimicking primary aneurismal bone cysts in a case of spinal bone metastasis.
BACKGROUND
Spinal bone metastases may be lytic or sclerotic lesions. Sometimes aneurismal bone cyst (ABC)-like areas (also called "secondary ABC") can be found in giant-cell tumors, osteoblastomas and chondroblastomas but are rare in metastatic tumors.


METHODS
A retrospective study on 518 patients surgically treated for metastatic lesions of the spine from 1995 to 2012 was performed to evaluate the radiographic presentation. We propose a case report of a metastatic lesion associated with imaging features suggestive of aneurismal bone cyst. The patient was treated by intralesional surgery, after embolization of the lesion.


CONCLUSIONS
Fluid-fluid levels detected on imaging can be found in bone metastases and may be similar to a primary aneurismal bone cyst. Embolization of metastastic tumor was useful to help the surgeon.
Department of Oncological and Degenerative Spine Surgery, Rizzoli Orthopedic Institute, Bologna, Italy. colamas@inwind.it.
S
S
Colangeli
G
G
Rossi
R
R
Ghermandi
E
E
Rimondi
D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery / Q000628:therapy; D000077192:Adenocarcinoma of Lung; D001826:Body Fluids; D017824:Bone Cysts, Aneurysmal / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy; D004621:Embolization, Therapeutic; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery / Q000628:therapy; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008875:Middle Aged; D013125:Spinal Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000556:secondary / Q000601:surgery / Q000628:therapy; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed