Giant cell tumor in cervical spine.

A giant cell tumor in the cervical spine of a 67-year-old man complaining of pain in the neck and occipital area is reported. Cervical x-ray films revealed a round destructive lesion in the vertebral body of the fourth cervical vertebra. On the plain cervical computed tomography scan, the most impressive finding was a soap-bubble appearance, which showed a linear high-density area in the mass lesion with destruction of the vertebral body. After embolizing one branch of the artery feeding the tumor, a radical operation was carried out via the anterior approach. The role of cervical computed tomography scanning and computed tomographic myelography in diagnosing and showing the extension of the giant cell tumor is discussed.