Abstract
Out of 2000 primary neoplasms of the digestive system, observed at the Institute of Radiology of the University of Milan, 15 cases of bone localization of metastatic type were encountered.
The radiologic diagnosis of metastatic bone changes has been in most cases unexpected, or suspected owing to the presence of a painful symptomatology of the involved skeletal area; these patients are in fact seldom submitted to a complete X-ray examination of the skeleton.
The present series includes 6 cases of epithelial neoplasms of the esophagus, 5 of the stomach and 4 of the rectum which, however, do not show particular characteristics of topographic, radiologic or pathologico-anatomical nature.
The sites more involved by metastatic changes are the spinal column and the pelvis, that is the most vascular flat bones with anastomotic connections with the Batson's vertebral plexus. Other sites are the scapula, the skull and the long bones. Their radiological appearances are similar to those of the secondary bone changes, with prevalence of osteolytic forms in comparison to osteoplastic ones.
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