Diagnostic correlation between plain radiographic and histopathology reports among patients with long bones tumours treated at a Tertiary Hospital in Tanzania

Abstract

Background: Bone tumours are significant global health concern, with a rising number of new cases being diagnosed each year. The incidence of bone tumours has shown a significant increase in recent years, as evidenced by a 50% rise in new cases in 2020 alone. Early and accurate diagnosis is crucial for effective treatment and improved patient outcomes. The diagnosis of primary bone tumours is based on clinical, radiological and histopathological findings. Objective: This study aimed to determine the diagnostic correlation between plain radiographic and histopathological reports in diagnosing long bone tumours. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted between 2018 and 2021. Participants who underwent a histological examination for long bone tumours and met the inclusion criteria were enrolled. Relevant information was obtained from patient records then sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy of the plain radiograph were calculated with histopathology serving as the gold standard. Results: The study included 83 participants, the majority were aged 30 years old or younger. Forty six percent of the cases were malignant tumours while benign were 54%. Osteosarcoma was found to be the most common tumour type both by radiological and histological diagnosis and femur was the most commonly affected bone. Plain radiograph was found to have a sensitivity of 92.1%, specificity of 73.3% and accuracy of 82%. Conclusion: This study found a strong diagnostic correlation between plain radiographic and histopathology reports in patients with long bone tumours. This suggests that plain radiography can serve as a useful screening tool for long bone tumours in resource-limited settings, allowing for early and accurate preliminary diagnoses.