Osteosarcoma

At Boston Children's Hospital, we know that the first step in treating your child is forming an accurate and complete diagnosis.

Diagnostic procedures for osteosarcoma are used to determine the exact type of tumor your child has and whether the tumor has spread. Your child’s doctor will perform a complete medical and physical examination. In addition, your child’s physician may order some of the following tests:

• x-rays to produce images of the area of pain and/or swelling
   
• magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the area of pain and/or swelling to produce detailed images of the tumor and adjacent parts of the body
   
• computerized tomography scan (also called a CT or CAT scan) of the chest and sometimes other parts of the body to determine whether the tumor has spread
   
• biopsy or tissue sample from the tumor to provide definitive information about the type of tumor; this is usually collected by a radiologist using a minimally invasive approach, but can sometimes require surgery
   
• bone scan to determine whether the tumor has spread
   
• blood tests, heart evaluation, hearing test and evaluation of kidney function prior to the start of chemotherapy

After we complete all necessary tests, our experts meet to review and discuss what they have learned about your child's condition. Then we will meet with you and your family to discuss the results and outline the best treatment options.