The correlation between the radiologic staging studies and histopathologic findings in aggressive stage 3 giant cell tumor of bone.

The histologic features of aggressive Stage 3 benign giant cell tumor of bone were correlated with their radiologic staging studies. Our series includes 24 patients treated at the University of Florida, Department of Orthopaedic Oncology, from January 1979 to July 1983. Particularly in 13 cases, results of routine specimen histologic as well as of the histologic study of macrosections containing the entire resected specimen (the tumor and surrounding bone and soft tissue) were evaluated. Surgical staging studies including plain radiographs, bone scintigrams, computerized axial tomography scans, tomography, and angiography were used to delineate the anatomic location of the lesion. Within this group of giant cell tumors, the general histologic features resemble those of the classic giant cell tumor. However, certain aggressive features best demonstrated on the macrosections, such as cortical and subchondral invasion, capsular and reactive bony zone infiltration, "digital extension" of the tumor, and neovascularity correlated well with the anatomic localization and aggressiveness found on the staging studies. Those findings emphasize the value of staging studies in the delineation of the histologic potential of these benign aggressive lesions.