Imaging Findings of Spinal Metastases with Differential Diagnosis: Focusing on Solitary Spinal Lesion in Older Patients

Abstract

If a solitary spinal lesion is found in an older patient, bone metastasis can be primarily considered as the diagnosis. Bone metastasis can occur anywhere, but it mostly occurs in the vertebral body and may sometimes show typical imaging findings, presenting as a single lesion. Therefore, differentiating it from other lesions that mimic bone metastases can be challenging, potentially leading to delayed diagnosis and initiation of primary cancer treatment. This review provides an overview of imaging findings and clinical guidelines for bone metastases and discusses its differences from other diseases that can occur as solitary spinal lesions in older patients.

Keywords

• metastasis
• spine
• magnetic resonance imaging
• diagnosis
• differential