RADIOLOGY AND ORTHOPAEDIC SURGERY

Abstract

Many apparently promising lines of work in orthopaedic radiology have proved disappointing. For instance, the study ofjoints after injection of air or radio-opaque fluids produced results that were equivocal; the investigation of tumours of bone and soft tissue by angiography gave unreliable results. This paper is concerned with aspects of radiology in which positive advances have been secured during the past few years. BENIGN CYST-LIKE TUMOURS One of the paths that has led to real progress has been the subdivision and sorting of the benign cyst-like tumours. This has sequestered the osteoclastoma and has revealed the variants as true entities each carrying a comfortable prognosis. The importance ofuncovering the osteoclastoma is equalled by the importance of knowing that all the variants are benign. This fact removes the possibility that these lesions will be treated too harshly. Some years ago, when the nature of these tumours was unknown, a patient was sent to hospital for a second opinion. He had a chondroblastoma of the upper end of the humerus, but this diagnosis could not be made at that time. He was aged seventeen years and his ambition was to become a professional boxer. He had had two biopsies without