How is an aneurysmal bone cyst diagnosed?
When making a diagnosis, your child’s doctor will also want to know how aggressive the tumor is. In addition to performing a physical examination and taking a medical history, the doctor will want your child to undergo one or more of the following diagnostic tests: • X-ray – a diagnostic test that uses invisible electromagnetic energy beams to produce images of internal tissues, bones, and organs onto film. • Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) – a diagnostic procedure that uses a combination of large magnets, radio frequencies and a computer to produce detailed images of organs and structures within the body. This test is particularly useful to confirm the diagnosis by demonstrating the characteristic fluid levels within the cyst. • Computerized tomography scan (also called CT or CAT scan) – a diagnostic imaging procedure that uses a combination of X-rays and computer technology to produce cross-sectional images (often called slices) both horizontally and vertically, of the body. A CT sc