A bone tumor is generally associated with pain and swelling around the area. The tumor weakens the bone, as a result fractures are common at the tumor sites. Bone pains and swellings are more often due to arthritis, but if the condition persists, a doctor should be consulted. This is a non-invasive test.

In an X-ray of the bone, the tumor is detected as it appears ‘ragged’ when compared to solid bone. Sometimes a hole in the bone may appear in the X-ray. It is a very easy to perform the test and the exposure to radiation is low. But at the same time, it is not a confirmatory test and must be followed up with other tests to be sure of a tumor. This is a non-invasive test.

The CT scan is an X-ray scan where a three dimensional picture of the area is created. In this non-invasive test, a number of cameras take images at different angles giving detailed cross-sectional images. This test takes longer than the X-ray, but is more comprehensive, as the size of the tumor can be estimated and also whether the tumor has spread to other areas of the body.

The MRI test is another imaging test to detect the presence of bone tumors. Unlike the CT scan, the MRI uses radio waves and magnets to produce an image. As a result there is hardly any exposure to radiation. The images created by an MRI test are much more detailed. One of the best advantages of the MRI test over the CT test is that in the MRI scan, the contrast of the images can be easily changed, as a result, different contrast settings will highlight different types of tissues. The MRI test is often the best bet for detecting bone tumors. As the scanner is a powerful magnet, if the patient has any steel implants or a pacemaker, the test cannot be performed. This is a drawback of the MRI test, which otherwise is non-invasive.

This procedure helps to ascertain whether the tumor has spread to other parts of the skeleton. This test also shows how much damage the tumor has done to the bone. In this test, a radioactive material is injected into the bloodstream. This material is attracted to the dead and decaying bone cells throughout the skeleton. The areas where the material accumulates is seen on the bone scan as ‘hot spots’. This test is non-invasive in nature, though there is some exposure to ionizing radiation.

In the PET scan, a compound of glucose and a radioactive material is injected into the bloodstream of the patient. The cancerous cells, owing to their rapid metabolism, absorbs high amounts of the radioactive sugar. On the PET scan, these regions light up. The PET scan is non-invasive, though it does involve exposure to a small amount of radioactive emissions.

The cells that form the bone tissue release alkaline phosphatase. When the cancerous bone cells multiply and divide rapidly, huge amounts of alkaline phosphatase is released. Blood tests detecting the presence of alkaline phosphatase may indicate a tumor. But, this test is not entirely reliable, because high levels of alkaline phosphatase is normal in growing children. The blood tests are non-invasive in nature.

Whether a growth in the body is a tumor or something else can be confirmed by a biopsy. In a biopsy, a sample of tissue is extracted, and put underneath a microscope to check whether it is cancerous or not. There are two types of needle biopsies, the fine needle biopsy and the core needle biopsy, both performed under local anesthesia. In the fine needle biopsy, a thin needle attached to a syringe is inserted into the tumor, and a sample of fluid containing the tissues is extracted. In the core needle biopsy, a thicker syringe is inserted and a column of tissue is removed and tested for the presence of cancerous growth. The needle biopsy test is an invasive test.

There are two ways in which the surgical bone biopsy is performed, depending on whether a part or the entire tumor is extracted. In incisional biopsy, a small part of the tumor is removed to perform tests on. In excisional biopsy, the surgeon removes the entire tumor. The surgery is performed under general anesthesia. This is the most invasive of all the tests.