[Fibrous metaphyseal defect--a stage- and age-dependent differential diagnosis].

Based on 57 fibrous metaphyseal defects the conventional radiologic signs are described as diagnostically reliable including asymptomatic patients as well as patients with a history of pain and lesions with positive scintigraphy. The radiologic morphology of the fibrous endosteal and medullary defects differs with the age of the patient. Beyond the age of 18 years there is a sclerosis of the lesion and a less marked arrosion of the corticalis. The differential diagnosis depends on the cortical, endosteal of medullary site of the fibrous defect as well as on the age of patient and includes the cortical metastasis, the juxta-articular osteoid-osteoma, the periosteal chondroma, the cortical irregularity, the solitary bone cyst, the fibrous dysplasia, the chronic osteomyelitis and the osteosclerotic osteosarcoma.