Osteoid Osteoma in an Elderly Patient: Diagnostic Challenges

Osteoid osteoma is a benign bone tumor commonly affecting young individuals, with a rare occurrence in older adults. It typically presents with night pain relieved by nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and is characterized radiographically by a small, radiolucent nidus surrounded by reactive sclerosis. We present a 70-year-old female patient with persistent right hip pain, initially diagnosed as arthritis, who underwent total hip arthroplasty. Preoperative imaging findings were inconclusive, showing edema and degenerative changes without a definitive lesion. Histopathological examination of the arthroplasty specimen revealed a nodule consistent with osteoid osteoma. This report highlights the diagnostic challenge of osteoid osteoma in elderly patients, where symptoms may be atypical and overlap with other conditions like osteoarthritis.