J Korean Soc Radiol.  2010 Nov;63(5):439-443. 10.3348/jksr.2010.63.5.439.

Giant Cell Tumor of the Thoracic Spine Presenting as a Posterior Mediastinal Tumor with Benign Pulmonary Metastases: A Case Report

• Kim TH
• Rho BH
• Bahn YE
• Choi WI

• KMID: 2097914
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.3348/jksr.2010.63.5.439

Abstract

Giant cell tumor of bone is a benign, but potentially aggressive lesion that can show local recurrence and metastases. We report here on a case of a 29-year-old man who presented with an incidentally found mediastinal mass. Chest radiography and computed tomography showed a huge mediastinal mass with bilateral pulmonary nodules and the diagnosis of giant cell tumor with benign pulmonary metastasis was confirmed. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first reported case of primary thoracic spinal giant cell tumor manifesting as a huge mediastinal mass with pulmonary metastases.

MeSH Terms

Adult
Giant Cell Tumor of Bone
Giant Cell Tumors
Giant Cells
Humans
Mediastinal Neoplasms
Multiple Pulmonary Nodules
Neoplasm Metastasis
Recurrence
Spinal Neoplasms
Spine
Thoracic Vertebrae
Thorax

Figure

• 

  Fig. 1 Giant cell tumor of the thoracic spine with benign pulmonary metastases in a 29-year-old man. A. Chest radiography shows a huge soft-tissue mass in the right upper mediastinum with several bilateral pulmonary nodules (white arrows). B. On the pre-contrast axial CT scan, there is a soft-tissue density mass with marginal shell-like calcification (white arrow) in the posterior mediastinum. C. The post-contrast CT shows that the mass is well enhanced and it has a focal area that is poorly enhanced. The mass surrounds the vertebral bodies and a soft-tissue mass (black arrow) is also seen in the epidural space. D. There are multiple small, sharply marginated nodules (arrows) in both lungs, and these were considered to be pulmonary metastases. E. The sagittal reformatted CT scan shows the total collapse of the T3 vertebral body (white arrow). F. The skeletal scintigram with Tc-99m hydroxymethylene diphosphonate shows uneven intense hot uptake in the T3 and T4 vertebral bodies. G. Microscopically, the tumor displays a characteristic pattern of giant cell tumor (Hematoxylin & eosin staining, original magnification ×200). The tumor is composed of mononuclear, oval to spindle cells and numerous osteoclast-like multinucleated giant cells.

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