Brown tumor: clinical, pathological and imaging manifestations

Abstract

To explore the clinical, pathological characteristics and imaging manifestations of brown tumors caused by hyperparathyroidism, to improve the cognition of the disease. The clinical, pathological characteristics and imaging manifestations of 15 cases of pathologically confirmed brown tumors were retrospectively reviewed. To analyze the imaging and pathological correlations, in addition, between the primary and secondary hyperparathyroidism led to brown tumors differential diagnoses. Rseults: In the 15 cases, aged from 26 to 66 years with median age of 51 years, 7 cases were caused by primary hyperparathyroidism, 8 cases secondary to long-term hemodialysis. Of the 15 cases(total of 34 lesions), 11 cases were multi-part bone involved. 13 of 15 patients for osteoporosis and 2 cases were osteosclerosis.32 lesions had bone destruction, 26 lesions showed expansive bone destruction, 6 showed soluble bone destruction, 12 lesions had harden edge. 23 lesions in bone destruction had calcification or ossification internal. 13 cases with soft tissue mass, enhanced significantly can be found in 3 cases. 2 lesions occured in the skull, bone density increased and the plate edge blur. pathological findings fibrous tissue , rich in blood vessels, scattered hemosiderin deposition, osteoid tissue around it. Brown tumor has relatively specific clinical history and laboratory characteristics. The imaging features include harden edge, in bone destruction has calcification or ossification internal and with soft tissue mass some enhanced significantly. The secondary brown tumor more multi-part destruction and more vertebra were involved than the primary.We can find osteosclerosis in secondary brown tumor. Those characteristic features were important to help for the diagnosis of the brown tumor.