Slide 1
Because there are multiple areas where the bone appears to be replaced by yellow-white tissue, one should think of metastatic tumor. The collapse of one vertebra and the apparent dissolution of the right lateral aspect of another suggests strongly that these and other lesions are osteolytic. About 50% of the bone must be lysed before a lesion can be seen radiographically in the patient.

Slide 2
This radiograph of six consecutive vertebral bodies from a patient with lytic metastases demonstrate profound collapse of the second vertebral body from the bottom. The right side of the third vertebral body from the top shows typical lytic involvement, with complete destruction of the lateral half of the vertebral body.