Myositis ossificans of lumbar paraspinal muscles masquerading as soft tissue sarcoma

Abstract

Abstract Myositis ossificans (MO) is a benign heterotopic bone formation within the muscle or soft tissue that is predominantly initiated by trauma. The diagnostic challenge is to discriminate it from bone and soft tissue malignancies. Clinical and pathological appearances of MO are variable depending on the time march on after heterotopic bone formation. The most common locations are muscles of the thigh and arm but very rarely involve the lumbar paraspinal muscles. A wide variety of theories exist in the literature regarding the etiology of MO but minor or major trauma can be found in every case. In our case, there is no history of trauma present.