Avoiding diagnostic pitfalls in mimics of neoplasia: the importance of a comprehensive diagnostic approach.
- Author:
Ely Zarina SAMSUDIN
1
;
Tunku KAMARUL
1
;
Azura MANSOR
2
Author Information
- Publication Type:Case Reports
- Keywords: diagnosis errors; musculoskeletal; neoplasms; tumour-like conditions
- MeSH: Adult; Aneurysm, False; diagnosis; Biopsy; Bone Diseases; diagnosis; Bone Diseases, Metabolic; diagnosis; Bone Neoplasms; diagnosis; Cell Proliferation; Diagnosis, Differential; Diagnostic Errors; prevention & control; Female; Giant Cell Tumors; diagnosis; Humans; Hyperparathyroidism; complications; Leukocytosis; diagnosis; Male; Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus; Middle Aged; Neoplasms; diagnosis; microbiology; Osteomyelitis; diagnosis; microbiology; Osteosarcoma; diagnosis; Sarcoma; diagnosis; Soft Tissue Neoplasms; diagnosis; Tibia; pathology
- From:Singapore medical journal 2015;56(5):e92-5
- CountrySingapore
- Language:English
- Abstract: Any medical diagnosis should take a multimodal approach, especially those involving tumour-like conditions, as entities that mimic neoplasms have overlapping features and may present detrimental outcomes if they are underdiagnosed. These case reports present diagnostic pitfalls resulting from overdependence on a single diagnostic parameter for three musculoskeletal neoplasm mimics: brown tumour (BT) that was mistaken for giant cell tumour (GCT), methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus osteomyelitis mistaken for osteosarcoma and a pseudoaneurysm mistaken for a soft tissue sarcoma. Literature reviews revealed five reports of BT simulating GCT, four reports of osteomyelitis mimicking osteosarcoma and five reports of a pseudoaneurysm imitating a soft tissue sarcoma. Our findings highlight the therapeutic dilemmas that arise with musculoskeletal mimics, as well as the importance of thorough investigation to distinguish mimickers from true neoplasms.
