Giant cell tumor - phalanx

Case contributed by Rodney Strahan
Diagnosis certain

Presentation

Painful swelling of the proximal part of the right third finger.

Patient Data

Age: 45 years
Gender: Male
x-ray

There is an expansile lytic lesion of the proximal phalanx right third finger. The proximal phalanx is shortened. There is no surrounding sclerosis.

12 months later

x-ray

Tere has been further expansion with cortical breach as well as a larger soft tissue component.

The head of the metacarpal and the middle phalanx do not appear to be involved. MRI imaging was not available to confirm this.

 

24 months later

x-ray

There is marked expansion with predominantly soft tissue. 

The adjacent bones are still not involved.

Surgery was performed after these images.

Case Discussion

The patient refused treatment or was lost to follow up in 2019 and re-presented 12 and 24 months later.

Finally, amputation was performed and the pathology report was:

This is an ulcerated tumor composed of abundant multinucleated osteoclast-like giant cells and mononuclear cells, with scattered mitotic figures. There is extensive hemorrhage, and a focal sclerotic stroma, but no definite osteoid matrix is identified. There are scattered small foci of extramedullary hematopoiesis within the tumor. No cytologically malignant features are present.
DIAGNOSIS:  Tumor of third finger: Giant cell-rich neoplasm.

 Giant cell tumor of bone is rare in the hand. The differential for the appearance on the presenting images would include Enchondroma. This tumor was slow growing and had affected the growth of the proximal metacarpal. Subsequent images could suggest chondrosarcoma. A chest x-ray was performed and no pulmonary nodules were identified.

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