Spinal osteochondroma diagnosed by computed tomography. Report of two cases and review of literature.

This paper reports two cases of spinal osteochondroma, in which preoperative diagnosis was greatly facilitated by CT scan examination. Moreover, by giving a precise indication of tumour extent, as well as of its relationships with the adjacent structures, CT was of great value also with regard to surgical treatment. Personal experience with the present cases, as well as a review of pertinent literature, suggests that the following CT scan findings may be considered as typical of spinal osteochondroma: a) roundish, sharply-outlined mass; b) bone-like density, with scattered calcifications; c) paraspinal, dump-bell, or eccentric intra-spinal location; d) osteosclerotic changes in neighbouring bone; e) lack of contrast enhancement. The value of CT scan examination in the diagnosis of vertebral tumours is stressed.