[Diagnostic-therapeutic procedure in benign bone tumors]

The indications of surgical treatment of benign bone tumours are strongly related to the clinical behaviour, the patient's complaints and the activity in Tc-bone scan. Some lesions--like the nonossifying fibroma--that can safely be diagnosed by conventional x-rays may not be treated surgically--as long as the patients are free of pain, and there is no risk of pathologic fracture. In case of clinically relevant lesions, activity in Tc-bone scan, or a risk of fracture, biopsy and curettage combined with autologous or homologous bone grafting is indicated. Some aggressive tumors, like the giant cell tumor, have to be treated more aggressively by curettage with adjuvant measures (Phenole) or by marginal excision.