Evaluation of patients between 10 and 40 years of age (young patient)

In contrast to the adult patient, the differential diagnosis in the young patient is completely different. In young patients, osteosarcoma and Ewing’s tumor are the most common malignancies, while osteomyelitis and eosinophilic granuloma are common benign causes of a destructive lesion. Occasionally, leukemia and lymphoma can be causes of a destructive lesion. In contrast to the adult patient where the evaluation usually precedes biopsy, in the young patient biopsy is often done after the radiographs, and magnetic resonance imaging has been performed. The treatment is often different for the different lesions.