Lace‐like enhancement pattern of osteosarcoma of rib and liver metastasis in CT scans

Abstract

The rib is an uncommon site of osteosarcoma. With the use of adjuvant chemotherapy and aggressive surgical resection of the metastatic pulmonary lesions, extrapulmonary metastases are becoming more clinically evident. Primary rib osteosarcoma with extrapulmonary metastasis is exceedingly rare. A case is reported, showing that the pattern of metastasis of rib osteosarcoma is similar to that of primary bone osteosarcoma. The liver metastasis occurred after resection of the metastatic pulmonary lesions. A CT scan of the primary rib lesion and liver metastasis both showed a lace-like enhancement pattern, its histological appearance corresponding with neoplastic osteoid. With the increasing use of CT abdomen for localization of extrapulmonary metastases, lace-like enhancement may be seen more readily in the future.

Metastatic osteosarcoma to the liver and the kidney: a case report and review of the literature

“…Dalinka et al 7 describe a case of extraskeletal osteosarcoma (a primary osteosarcoma in the kidney) with metastasis to the liver. Chan et al 8 describe the distinctive lace-like enhancement pattern of the liver metastasis of osteosarcoma in a CT scan. Generally, although the administration of multimodal treatment can improve their quality of life and prolong their life span (maximum to 18 months), the osteosarcoma patients with hepatic metastasis still have a poor prognosis.…”