Primary Bone Tumors

      There are a host of other primary bone tumors that can occur in the spine, but they are relatively uncommon. Many of them have characteristic plain film findings, but sectional imaging studies are required to assess soft-tissue components Most bone tumors have prolonged T1 and T2 relaxation times. Even lesions that appear relatively dense on CT may have sufficient soft tissue matrix to render them hyperintense on T2-weighted images. Dense calcification and reactive bone are hypointense, but much of the calcification within the tumor matrix is invisible to MR. The presence of hemorrhage or fat alters the signal characteristics. Aneurysmal bone cysts have a distinctive feature of multiple cysts with variable signal intensities related to protein content, in some cases with fluid-fluid levels. 

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