Objective To study the imaging features of spinal giant cell tumors (GCTs)including multi-slice spiral CT (MSCT) and MRI in order to improve the diagnosis.Methods A retrospective study was conducted in 27 patients with GCTs in the spine at our institute.The data of MSCT and 3.0T MRI were recorded and analyzed.Results Of the 27 patients,4 were found in the cervi-cal spine,12 in the thoracic spine,5 in the lumbar spine and 6 in the sacral spine.Typical imaging features showed eccentric,expan-sive and lytic bone destruction of the involved vertebra.The tumor showed soft-tissue density on CT with inner visible cystic change, necrosis and trabecula remnants in most tumors,without calcification and periosteal reaction.Most lesions showed hypointensity or isointensity on T1 WI and hypointensity,isointersity or heterogeneous high signal on T2 WI.When aneurysmal bone cyst (ABC)was detected,MRI revealed hyperintensity with a fluid-fluid interface.Conclusion Radiographic features of the GCTs in the spine are specific for diagnosis to some extent.CT and MRI may contribute to the accuracy of preoperative diagnosis.The methods have a good value in GCT diagnosis,clinical staging,surgical strategies and postoperative evaluation.

Eukaryotic cells contain numerous iron-requiring proteins such as iron-sulfur (Fe-S) cluster proteins, hemoproteins and ribonucleotide reductases (RNRs). These proteins utilize iron as a cofactor and perform key roles in DNA replication, DNA repair, metabolic catalysis, iron regulation and cell cycle progression. Disruption of iron homeostasis always impairs the functions of these iron-requiring proteins and is genetically associated with diseases characterized by DNA repair defects in mammals. Organisms have evolved multi-layered mechanisms to regulate iron balance to ensure genome stability and cell development. This review briefly provides current perspectives on iron homeostasis in yeast and mammals, and mainly summarizes the most recent understandings on iron-requiring protein functions involved in DNA stability maintenance and cell cycle control.
Animals ; Cell Cycle Checkpoints ; DNA ; metabolism ; DNA Repair ; DNA Replication ; Hemeproteins ; genetics ; metabolism ; Iron ; chemistry ; metabolism ; Iron-Sulfur Proteins ; genetics ; metabolism ; Ribonucleotide Reductases ; genetics ; metabolism ; Yeasts ; metabolism

Excess iron is tightly associated with tumorigenesis in multiple human cancer types through a variety of mechanisms including catalyzing the formation of mutagenic hydroxyl radicals, regulating DNA replication, repair and cell cycle progression, affecting signal transduction in cancer cells, and acting as an essential nutrient for proliferating tumor cells. Thus, multiple therapeutic strategies based on iron deprivation have been developed in cancer therapy. During the past few years, our understanding of genetic association and molecular mechanisms between iron and tumorigenesis has expanded enormously. In this review, we briefly summarize iron homeostasis in mammals, and discuss recent progresses in understanding the aberrant iron metabolism in numerous cancer types, with a focus on studies revealing altered signal transduction in cancer cells.
Carcinogenesis ; genetics ; metabolism ; Homeostasis ; Humans ; Iron ; metabolism ; Neoplasms ; genetics ; metabolism ; pathology ; Signal Transduction