Imaging features of aneurismal bone cysts

Abstract

Purpose: To analyze different imaging presentations of primary aneurismal bone cyst. Methods and Materials: Retrospectively, images from 52 histologically provenprimary aneurismal bone cysts were analyzed. Male were30 and 22 female, age range 5-35 years (median age 18years). All of them have plain film, computed tomography was done in 40 cases and magnetic resonance in 22cases. Classification after Capanna in five morphological types was done. Results: Type 1: central with little expansion 10 (19.2%) cases; Type2: central with expansion and cortical thinning 13 (25%)cases; Type 3: eccentric with involvement of only one cortex19 (36.5%) cases; Type 4: subperiosteal extending “outwards” with intact or only superficially eroded cortex 3(5.8%) cases; (Fig.1-8) Type 5: subperiosteal with growth both outwards and centrally towards the medulla, with cortical destruction 7 (13.5%) cases. Size range of the lesions was 4 mm to 12 cm. Conclusion The primary aneurismal bone cysts has specific radiological features that should enable the radiologist to make the diagnosis with high degree of certainty.