Osteoblastoma
When diagnosing osteoblastoma, the preliminary radiologic workup should consist of radiography of the site of the patient's pain. However, computed tomography (CT) is often necessary to support clinical and plain radiographic findings suggestive of osteoblastoma and to better define the margins of the lesion for potential surgery. CT scans are best used for the further characterization of the lesion with regard to the presence of a nidus and matrix mineralization. MRI aids in detection of nonspecific reactive marrow and soft tissue edema, and MRI best defines soft tissue extension, although this finding is not typical of osteoblastoma. Bone scintigraphy (bone scan) demonstrates abnormal radiotracer accumulation at the affected site, substantiating clinical suspicion, but this finding is not specific for osteoblastoma. In many patients, biopsy is necessary for confirmation.
Soft tissue sarcoma in cats and dogs
Prior to initiating any type of treatment, it is important to gather as much information as possible regarding the tumor's tissue origin, size, site, histologic grade (level of aggressiveness) and whether it has spread to other organs.
To definitively confirm the diagnosis of a soft-tissue sarcoma, the veterinarian will have to perform biopsy for histopathologic evaluation. Additional tests are performed in order to evaluate how advanced the cancer is. These tests generally involve blood and serum biochemical tests, chest X-rays to check for metastasis to the lungs and imaging studies [e.g. ultrasound, computed tomography (CT) or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)] to evaluate the extent of the disease.