Malignant vascular lesions of bone: radiologic and pathologic features

The malignant vascular tumors of bone represent an uncommon diverse group of tumors with widely variable clinical and radiographic presentations. Although the radiographic imaging features of the lytic osseous lesions typically seen with this group of tumors are relatively nonspecific, the propensity to develop multifocal disease in an anatomic region is a feature that can be helpful in suggesting the diagnosis of a vascular tumor. The differential diagnosis varies according to the age of the patient and presence of solitary or multifocal disease. The histologic features are variable and range from tumors with vasoformative features to those that mimic mesenchymal neoplasm or metastatic carcinoma. Familiarity with the radiographic and pathologic spectrum of disease is essential for making an accurate diagnosis in this diverse group of neoplasms. This paper will provide a review of the nomenclature for the malignant vascular tumors of bone and discuss the radiographic and pathologic differential diagnosis.