Osteoid osteoma of the dorsal spine in 13-year-old boy: A case report with review of the literature

Osteoid osteoma is a benign bony tumor characterized by presence of a nidus of osteoid vascular bone with dense sclerotic bone in its periphery. Osteoid osteomas comprises 10% of all benign bone tumors and 1% of all spinal tumors, with lumbar spine (60%) as the most common site, followed by cervical (27%) and thoracic spine (12%). A spinal osteoid oesteoma usually present as back pain localized around level of lesion. We reported a case of osteoid osteoma involving the dorsal spine in 13-year-old boy who presented with progressive backache for last 6 months. Spine is an uncommon site for this benign tumor, and these patients are usually symptomatically treated for nonspecific back pain. Magnetic resonance imaging is useful investigation but computed tomography scan appears as better investigation modality to study the extent, size and location of the osteoid osteoma in the spine. Most patients require direct surgical excision, curettage or percutaneous radiofrequency ablation to remove the lesion.