Bone Tumors: Common Mimickers

Mimics of primary and secondary bone tumors may result from a variety of processes. These can range from normal variants or developmental lesions that require no further work-up, to findings that require more urgent management, or may be indicative of a more serious systemic disease that necessitates further evaluation and treatment. It is important to be familiar with the spectrum of bone tumor mimics to avoid unnecessary tests, minimize patient morbidity, and reduce patient anxiety. This article discusses numerous nonneoplastic bone tumor mimickers, including their characteristic multimodality imaging features, differential diagnosis, and important aspects with which radiologists should be familiar.