Chondrosarcoma in Childhood: The Radiologic and Clinical Conundrum

Authors

  • Susan Marie Mosier
  • Karen Strenge
  • Andrew Dennis Mosier
  • Tanvi Patel

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.3941/jrcr.v6i12.1241

Keywords:

pediatric chondrosarcoma, chondrosarcoma, bone tumor, pediatric

Abstract

Less than 10% of chondrosarcomas occur in children. In addition, as little as 0.5% of low-grade chondrosarcomas arise secondarily from benign chondroid lesions.   The presence of focal pain is often used to crudely distinguish a chondrosarcoma (which is usually managed with wide surgical excision), from a benign chondroid lesion (which can be followed by clinical exams and imaging surveillance).  Given the difficulty of localizing pain in the pediatric population, initial radiology findings and short-interval follow-up, both imaging and clinical, are critical to accurately differentiate a chondrosarcoma from a benign chondroid lesion. To our knowledge, no case in the literature discusses a chondrosarcoma possibly arising secondarily from an enchondroma in a pediatric patient. We present a clinicopathologic and radiology review of conventional chondrosarcomas. We also attempt to further the understanding of how to manage a chondroid lesion in the pediatric patient with only vague or bilateral complaints of pain.

Published

2012-12-26

Issue

Section

Pediatric Radiology