• Zirui Liu, Hao Yang, Hongyu Tan, Ruipeng Song, Yang Zhang, and Liang Zhao.
• Department of Orthopaedics, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China.
• Medicine (Baltimore). 2023 Feb 10; 102 (6): e32768e32768.

RationaleBrown tumor (BT), an uncommon focal lytic bone tumor, is a non-neoplastic and reactive process caused by increased osteoclastic activity and fibroblastic proliferation in primary or secondary hyperparathyroidism. Vertebral tumor causing neural compression is relatively rare, especially in the cervical spine.Patient ConcernsA 29-year-old man developed neck pain and arm radicular pain 4 months ago, with the level of serum calcium significantly higher than normal. Computed tomography scan of the cervical spine revealed an expansile lytic lesion occupying the C6 body, left pedicle, and left lamina of C5-6.DiagnosesOsteoclastoma according to imaging and histopathological results.InterventionsA laminectomy of C5-6 was performed.OutcomesOne month later, he was re-hospitalized due to nausea and vomiting and the serum calcium, was still, kept at a high level. Additionally, the parathormone (PTH) was greatly higher than normal. BT with primary hyperparathyroidism due to the parathyroid tumor was considered. After the surgery of the right parathyroid gland was performed, serum calcium and PTH both decreased, and computed tomography showed good recovery.LessonsBTs might be misdiagnosed as other giant cell tumors, thus when giant cell tumors are considered, serum calcium and PTH examination may be needed to exclude BTs.Copyright © 2023 the Author(s). Published by Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc.

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