Aneurysmal Bone Cyst (ABC)
– solitary expansile lesion located in metaphysis of long bones, flat bones & vertebrae
– presents in 2nd decade
– cysts filled with blood
Signs & Symptoms:
– pain with tenderness & swelling at the site of the lesion
Xrays:
– expansile eccentric lesion surrounded by a thinned cortex with periosteal new bone formation
– CT/MRI – characteristic ‘fluid-fluid’ level
– beware of telangiectatic osteosarcoma – has fluid-fluid levels but far more aggressive looking
Histology:
– blood spaces separated by cellular septa lacking an endothelial cell lining & containing a variety of cells such as fibroblasts, multinucleated giant cells & histiocytes & metaplastic bone
– large solid cellular areas may be seen
Treatment:
– excision, curettage & bone grafting
– cryosurgery or chemical ablation may be used
Leave a Reply
Want to join the discussion?Feel free to contribute!