Osteoid osteoma and osteoblastoma of the spine: a review of the literature

Osteoid osteoma and osteoblastoma are rare primary bone tumors that usually do not arise in the spine. Histologically, osteoid osteoma and osteoblastoma are similar, containing osteoblasts that produce osteoid and woven bone. Osteoblastoma, however, is larger, tends to be more aggressive, and can undergo malignant transformation, whereas osteoid osteoma is small, benign, and self-limited. With the help of modern imaging modalities that aid in diagnosis and surgical planning, a complete removal and cure may be achieved for most of these rare tumors. We document a brief review of the literature.