Primary tumors of the spine

Primary osseous tumors of the spine are rare lesions and much less frequently encountered than metastases, multiple myeloma, and lymphoma. The interpreting radiologist must be aware of the typical radiographic appearance of the most common nonmyeloproliferative tumors of the spine because these tumors must be considered when a solitary spinal lesion is encountered. The purpose of this article is to describe the radiologic appearance and radiologic staging of the most common benign (hemangioma, enostosis, osteoid osteoma, osteoblastoma, giant cell tumor, aneurysmal bone cyst, and osteochondroma) and malignant (chordoma, chondrosarcoma, Ewing tumor, and osteosarcoma) osseous spine tumors.