[Juvenile bone cysts and giant cell tumors (author's transl)].

The attempt is made to demonstrate clinical, radiographical, morphological differences between juvenile bone cyst and giant cell tumor as shown in the patients of the Surgical Department of the University of Dusseldorf and literature. It is possible to derive inferences in differential diagnosis from the age of the patient, clinical course and statistically most frequent locations. Radiographically the bone cyst distinguishes itself by its central localisation in the metaphysis, where as the giant cell tumor has an excentric position in the epiphysis with a tendency of extending into the metaphysis. Giant cells occur in both diseases. While the bone cyst is an tumor-like lesion, the giant cell tumor is a real neoplasia. The therapeutical procedure varies according to different prognostical significance of the two diseases. Therefore, it is necessary to draw an exact line of demarcation between the comparetively harmless juvenile bone cyst and the semimalign giant cell tumor.