Cortical bone metastases.

The bone scans and radiographs of 27 patients with solitary or multiple cortical bone metastases were retrospectively studied. Thirty-six cortical metastases were identified in 32 appendicular long bones. Origin of the tumors included lung, breast, kidney, pancreas, larynx, uterus, and site unknown. Cortical metastases have hitherto been reported as individual cases or in small numbers. The large number reported herein suggests that the occurrence of these lesions may be more common than previously expected. A cortical metastasis was the only evidence of metastatic disease in eight of the 27 patients.