Osteoid Osteoma

Also known as: progressive osseous heteroplasia.

What is osteoid osteoma?

An osteoid osteoma is non-cancerous growth of bone and abnormal bone called osteoid, that frequently develops in the femur (thigh bone), or tibia (shinbone) of young boys between the ages of 5-25 years. It is usually small, measuring less than 2 centimeters, it can develop in any bone, but it is benign growth, non-spreading to the rest of the body.
 

What causes osteoid osteoma? 

Its cause is unknown.
 

What are the symptoms of osteoid osteoma? 

A dull, aching pain (with or without a tender area) that comes and goes during the day but can worsen at night and become severe, is common.
 

What are osteoid osteoma care options? 

In some cases, an osteoid osteoma will resolve on its own over time. Over-the-counter pain relievers and anti-inflammatory drugs help with pain management.

Other treatments may be non-surgical such as scraping the tumor out, surgical removal or radiofrequency ablation (a minimally invasive procedure that heats and kills tumor cells).

Reviewed by: Jack Wolfsdorf, MD, FAAP

This page was last updated on: January 11, 2022 12:00 PM