Skeletal radiology
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Two teenagers with spinal cord compression due to a thoracic vertebral hemangioma are presented. Myelography showed a complete block in both patients. Selective intercostal arteriography was normal or non-conclusive. ⋯ In the first case it showed angiomatous involvement of the body and all parts of the neural arch of T4, and a posterior epidural ossified angiomatous mass. In the second case it showed angiomatous involvement of the vertebral body and an anterior extradural soft tissue mass; this latter was considered to represent a resolving extradural hematoma. CT, preferably performed after intrathecal contrast injection, is the diagnostic procedure of choice for spinal hemangioma with cord involvement.
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The prognosis of osteosarcoma has improved significantly with recent advances in chemotherapy. Evaluation of the effect of chemotherapy is important for optimal timing of surgery, for selecting an alternative drug regimen in instances of poor response to chemotherapy and for testing combinations of new drugs. The purpose of this paper is to define the value of plain radiographs and angiography in assessing tumor response to chemotherapy. ⋯ Conversely, comparison of plain radiographs obtained before and after chemotherapy did not allow a reliable differentiation between patients with good, poor, or no response to chemotherapy. The current role of angiography in the management of patients with osteosarcoma is discussed. It is concluded that - in contrast to plain film radiography - angiography is an accurate method for assessing the response of osteosarcoma to chemotherapy.