Osteochondroma: ignore or investigate?

Antônio Marcelo Gonçalves de Souza, Rosalvo Zósimo Bispo Júnior

Osteochondromas are bone protuberances surrounded by a cartilage layer. They generally affect the extremities of the long bones in an immature skeleton and deform them. They usually occur singly, but a multiple form of presentation may be found. They have a very characteristic appearance and are easily diagnosed. However, an atypical site (in the axial skeleton) and/or malignant transformation of the lesion may sometimes make it difficult to identify osteochondromas immediately by means of radiographic examination. In these cases, imaging examinations that are more refined are necessary. Although osteochondromas do not directly affect these patients' life expectancy, certain complications may occur, with varying degrees of severity.