Most of these tumors occur in the 10 to 40 age group with a mean age of 35. They appear as oval or round lucencies in the shaft near the epiphysis and often cause scalloping of the endosteal surface of the cortex. They tend to be near the proximal end of the bone in the phalanges and the distal end in the metacarpals. A typical ground glass appearance makes enchondromas less lucent than inclusion cysts or unicameral bone cysts. Calcifications varying from punctate stippling to large irregular areas strongly suggest the diagnosis.
Treatment is curettage and bone graft, with excellent prognosis.
References Ediken J, Dalinka M, Karasick D. Roentgen diagnosis of diseases of bone. Nothing on this World Wide Web site should be considered medical advice. Only your own doctor can help you make decisions about your medical care. It is not the policy of the Brigham and Women's Hospital Department of Radiology to provide consultation on the World Wide Web or via e-mail.