Osteolytic bone lesion of the rib

Abstract

A 29-year old male patient was admitted due to subacute onset of right chest pain. He had no history of trauma, chest surgery or other medical disease. Chest roentgenogram showed an expansile, radiolucent lesion on the posterior segment of right seventh rib. Computed tomogram of the chest also showed lytic expansile mass with septation. He took an en-bloc resection of the involved rib. Pathologically there were multiple cystic spaces, filled with blood and collagenofibrous tissue proliferation and locally areas of new bone formation and giant cells of osteoclastic type, which was compatible with aneurysmal bone cyst. We report a case of aneurysmal bone cyst of the rib with a brief review of literature.