Brown tumor is not a true tumor, being an unusual reactive lesion in association with primary or secondary hyperparathyroidism. We report a 23-year-old woman, who initially presented with lower back pain caused by ureterolithiasis. The initial diagnosis of brown tumor was delayed, but later pain in her leg worsened and a sacral lesion was incidentally discovered on lumbar magnetic resonance imaging (MRI); multiple destructive bone lesions were then found radiologically. The radiological features of the multiple bone lesions, which mimicked multiple metastatic tumors, seemed to be those of the terminal stage of malignancy. However, pathological examination and abnormal laboratory data showing elevated serum calcium, alkaline phosphatase, and parathyroid hormone and low serum phosphate confirmed the diagnosis of brown tumor. Adenoma in the parathyroid gland was confirmed and surgically resected. The clinical symptoms of bone pain, and abnormal radiological findings and laboratory data were resolved 6 months after surgery. Synthetic analysis of the clinical, radiological, and laboratory findings was necessary for the definite diagnosis of brown tumor.

No abstract

On excision of any soft tissue tumor, surgeons should be aware of the potential risk for erroneous management of malignancy. If not, careless surgery may render the treatment protocol complicated and require excessive additional tissue resection with poor function and prognosis. Appropriate salvage treatment may have a significant role to play after unplanned resection of the sarcoma.

No abstract

Short Communication Comments on published articles, short communications of a preliminary nature, technical notes and the like are accepted under this heading. The articles should be short and concise and contain a minimum of jigures, tables and references.