Expansile benign bone tumors of hand

Giant cell tumor 

  • Benign and aggressive
  • High local recurrence
  • 15-45 years
  • Typical location – metacarpals
Imaging 
  • Metaepiphyseal osteolytic lesion
  • Geographic bone destruction
  • Internal ridges and smooth margins
  • Sometimes cortical destruction
  • Can be complicated by aneurysmal bone cyst

Aneurysmal bone cyst

  • Tumor-like with multiple blood-filled cavities
  • Seen in younger population than GCT
  • Metacarpals common site
  • May also be seen in other bones of hand including sesamoids
Imaging 
  • More expansile than GCT
  • Delineated by thin bony shell
  • MR may show fluid-fluid levels 
  • Otherwise overlapping features with GCT