Radiological study of femoral osteosarcoma. Clinical case report and literature review

Introduction: Osteosarcoma is the most common primary malignant bone tumor in adolescents and young adults, predominantly located in the metaphyses of long bones, particularly the distal femur. Radiological imaging is essential for early diagnosis, local and distant staging, surgical planning, and assessment of response to chemotherapy. However, the literature is scattered across studies that address different modalities (radiography, computed tomography, magnetic resonance imaging, and PET-CT) with heterogeneous designs. 

Clinical Case: A 13-year-old female patient presented for consultation due to persistent discomfort and noticeable swelling in her right knee, a symptom she had been experiencing for a year. However, it was noted that these symptoms had worsened considerably over the course of the previous month. During the clinical evaluation, an increase in overall size with poorly defined edges, measuring approximately 6 centimeters by 4 centimeters, was noted on the lateral femoral condyle on the right side. 

Conclusions: The integration of X-ray, MRI, CT, and PET-CT provides a comprehensive assessment of femoral osteosarcoma. MRI is key for surgical planning and assessment of local extension, while CT and PET-CT complement the structural and metabolic assessment, respectively. , prospective, multicenter studies are needed to standardize imaging criteria and correlate radiological findings with histological and clinical outcomes.