Rapidly developing scoliosis in an adolescent due to spinal osteoblastoma. A case report.

A benign osteoblastoma of the spine should be considered a possible cause of painful scoliosis, especially in young adults. This report concerns a 17 year old patient with a lesion of the second lumbar vertebra where her painful progressive scoliosis was mistaken as idiopathic. Considering pain as a common presentation for the osteoblastoma, the diagnosis can be made early through X-rays, bone scan and computed tomography. The only adequate therapy is total removal of the tumor and the surgeon should make every effort to resect this lesion in sano to achieve permanent relief of pain and full alignment of the spine.