A Rare Case of an Osteoid Osteoma of the Cervical Spine

Abstract

Osteoid osteoma (OO) is a benign bone tumor rarely affecting the cervical spine. OO, currently diagnosed by X-ray, computed tomography (CT), bone scan, and magnetic resonance imaging, is difficult to identify when located in the cervical spine based on spine radiographs due to their usually small size and the complex anatomy of the cervical spine. CT scans successfully diagnose 20–30% of the small osteolytic lesions with dense sclerotic rings and central calcifications and the anatomic location of the nidus. CT-guided radiofrequency ablation is a noninvasive treatment option widely used. However, in specific cases, surgical resection of the nidus is recommended. We present a rare clinical case of cervical spine OO of a 16-year-old female patient. The lesion was located on the left lamina of C7, and once the diagnosis was established by physical examination and imaging, laminectomy and cervical arthrodesis (C6-T1) were performed. Twelve months after the surgical intervention, the patient showed complete remission of the symptoms and no disabilities.