A 22-year-old man presents with severe right tibial pain that wakes him at night and is dramatically relieved by ibuprofen. Radiograph shows a small lucent nidus surrounded by dense sclerotic bone. Which imaging modality best demonstrates the nidus?
- A Plain radiograph
- B CT scan ✓
- C MRI
- D Bone scintigraphy
Correct answer: B. CT scan
Explanation
CT scan is the imaging modality of choice for demonstrating the nidus of osteoid osteoma. It provides excellent spatial resolution and clearly shows the small lucent nidus surrounded by sclerosis. While bone scintigraphy shows intense uptake, it lacks the anatomical detail to define the nidus precisely. MRI can show surrounding marrow edema but may obscure the nidus itself.
Reference: Robbins and Cotran Pathologic Basis of Disease, 10th ed.
High-yield for: NEET PGINI-CETNExTFMGEUSMLEPLABMRCP
Written and medically reviewed by the StethoPrep medical team.