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Imaging of sacral tumours

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Abstract

All components of the sacrum (bone, cartilage, bone marrow, meninges, nerves, notochord remnants, etc.) can give rise to benign or malignant tumours. Bone metastases and intraosseous sites of haematological malignancies, lymphoma and multiple myeloma are the most frequent aetiologies, while primary bone tumours and meningeal or nerve tumours are less common. Some histological types have a predilection for the sacrum, especially chordoma and giant cell tumour. Clinical signs are usually minor, and sacral tumours are often discovered in the context of nerve root or pelvic organ compression. The roles of conventional radiology, CT and MRI are described and compared with the histological features of the main tumours. The impact of imaging on treatment decisions and follow-up is also reviewed.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Radiology, Institut Curie, 26 rue d’Ulm, 75248, Paris, France

    S. Gerber, L. Ollivier, H. Brisse & S. Neuenschwander

  2. Department of Radiology, Institut Gustave Roussy, Villejuif, France

    J. Leclère

  3. Department of Radiology, The Rizzoli Institute, Bologna, Italy

    D. Vanel

  4. Comité de pathologie tumorale de l’appareil locomoteur, Institut Gustave Roussy, Villejuif, France

    G. Missenard

  5. Department of Pathology, Hôpital Trousseau, CHRU de Tours, Tours, France

    G. de Pinieux

Authors
  1. S. Gerber
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  2. L. Ollivier
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  3. J. Leclère
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  4. D. Vanel
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  5. G. Missenard
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  6. H. Brisse
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  7. G. de Pinieux
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  8. S. Neuenschwander
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Correspondence to S. Gerber.

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Gerber, S., Ollivier, L., Leclère, J. et al. Imaging of sacral tumours. Skeletal Radiol 37, 277–289 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00256-007-0413-4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00256-007-0413-4

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