Osteoblastoma is a rare benign bone tumor that presents with back pain and occurs in the spine approximately 40% of the time.
The time from onset of symptoms to diagnosis is typically several months because it is a rare entity and radiographic studies
are often negative early in the course of the disease. These highly vascular and locally aggressive tumors require complete
and precise resection. The patient presented is a 15-year-old boy with a 14-month history of right-sided neck and shoulder
pain. Computerized tomography and magnetic resonance imaging demonstrated a lesion in the posterior elements of C7 which extended
through the pedicle and into the body. Preoperative angiography confirmed a hypervascular lesion which was successfully embolized.
He subsequently underwent piecemeal tumor resection and instrumented fusion. Immediate postoperative imaging demonstrated
complete resection. At 18 months follow up the patient has maintained resolution of preoperative symptoms and demonstrates
evidence of solid fusion on CT. This multidisciplinary approach markedly decreased blood loss and improved visualization to
help achieve complete surgical resection and resolution of clinical symptoms.
Keywords Osteoblastoma - Embolization - Spinal fusion - Spinal tumor - CT - Bone scan