Journal of Bone Research and Reports

The Microarchitecture Of Bone In Osteochondromas, A Pilot Study With Micro Computed Tomography Imaging

Osteochondromas are the most common benign bone tumors. They mostly develop in the metaphysis of long bones. Osteochondromas develop in an off-axis position and are expected to carry little mechanical loading. On clinical removal the osteochondromas appear to have a less dense, osteoporotic like, structure. There bone architecture is studied in 9 resected osteochondromas using micro-CT. The trabecular morphology is quantified and findings are compared to histological findings and to values from the literature of normal bones in the same age groups. The micro-CT shows that osteochondromas have a normal trabecular number and bone volume fraction, but the trabeculae are wider spaced and thicker than in regular trabecular bone. This study is the first to show that, compared to that of age matched controls, the microarchitecture of the osteochondromas show less but thicker trabeculae that are wider separated with a normal bone volume fraction.

Author(s):

Heleen M Staal , Wouter Nijhuis , Marianne A Witlox , Koen RJ Boom , Giovanni Paffen , S John Ham , Tim JM Welting , Bert van Rietbergen , Lodewijk W van Rhijn

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