Imaging features of spinal fibrous dysplasia

English Keywords:Imaging  Feature  Fibrous dysplasia  Spine

English Abstract:

  【Abstract】 Objectives: To investigate the imaging features of spinal fibrous dysplasia. Methods: Ten patients with the diagnosis of spinal fibrous dysplasia by pathology were retrospectively analyzed from April 2004 to January 2014. The lesion was localized in the cervical vertebra in 3 cases, in the thoracic vertebra in 4 cases and in the lumbar vertebra in 3 cases. There were 6 males and 4 females in this group. All patients were evaluated by X-ray, CT and MRI. The lesions were evaluated completely with location, dimension, matrix density, boundary, compromise of appendix of vertebra, cortex destruction and soft tissue mass. Results: The lesion was detected with a round or round-like radiolucent area within the vertebra in radiographs． 4 cases located in the thoracic spine were not displayed. Five cases were found with homogeneous matrix in the lesion. The boundary of lesion was well demarcated in 6 cases. The cortical destruction and soft tissue mass were not found in all the cases. A round or oval low-density lesion with a demarcated margin between the lesion and normal vertebra was detected in the CT scans. The vertebral cortex was thin but intact. The homogeneous matrix in the lesion was found in 7 cases. The lesion was localized within the vertebra in 9 cases. The appendix of vertebra was compromised by the lesion in only one case. There were no cortical destruction and soft tissue mass detected in all the cases. Homogeneous long T1 signal on T1WI, hypo- or isointensity and a hypointensity loop surrounded the lesion on T1WI, T2WI and T2W1 with fat depression, and focal slight reinforcement on enhanced scanning were indicated in MRI images． Conclusions: Spinal fibrous dysplasia has some typical imaging features similar to tumor-like lesions including homogeneous matrix density, well-demarcated margin with sclerosis, without cortex destruction and without soft tissue mass. These imaging features contribute to the correct diagnosis and differential diagnosis.