Well-Differentiated Central Cartilage Tumors of Bone: An Overview

Well-differentiated hyaline cartilage tumors are among the most common tumors encountered in the skeleton; their radiographic and pathologic classification and clinical management can be challenging. Pathologists find cartilage tumors difficult because their precise classification is as dependent on the clinical and radiographic findings as the histologic features; the distinction between benign and malignant cartilage neoplasms demands good communication and teamwork between pathologists, orthopedic surgeons, and radiologists. This review focuses on the necessary clinical, radiographic, and pathologic features that allow distinction between enchondroma and low-grade central chondrosarcoma and interpretation of lesions encountered in the enchondromatosis syndromes.