What are the diagnostic methods for bone cancer

Bone cancer is a malignant tumor that occurs in bones or their accessory tissues (blood vessels, nerves, and bone marrow). It has become a major disease that endangers society and human health. So, what are the diagnostic methods for bone cancer?

1. X-ray examination. X-ray examination is an important means of diagnosing bone cancer, and the results of the examination are an important basis for diagnosis. The shadow of a benign bone tumor is relatively regular, with uniform density, neat outer borders, and clear contours. There is no reactive shadow in the periosteum and no shadow in the soft tissue. The thinning and expansion of the osteolytic bone cortex is a characteristic of benign bone tumors. The shadow of a malignant bone tumor is mostly irregular, with uneven density, irregular borders, unclear contours, and irregular destruction of the bone cortex.

2. Pathological tissue examination. Pathological tissue examination is considered to be a diagnostic method with a high accuracy rate. If the examination site is inappropriate, it may lead to a wrong diagnosis, so pathological tissue examination must be combined with clinical or X-ray examination. Commonly used sampling and examination methods include needle aspiration biopsy, incisional biopsy, frozen section, paraffin section, etc.

3. Bone marrow puncture examination. Cancer cells can be seen after puncture, and their number exceeds 5% to 10%. When the number exceeds 20%, atypical plasma cells are seen, and the plasma cells are in small clusters. Osteosarcoma and osteoblastic metastasis will form a large amount of new bone, so the alkaline phosphatase value increases.

4. CT and MRI examinations: CT and MRI examinations can detect cancerous tissues at an early stage with a high accuracy rate.