There are a few tumors that preferentially involve the posterior elements. These include

• Common:
  
  
  
  • Osteoid osteoma
    
  • Osteoblastoma
    
  • Aneurysmal bone cyst
    
  • Metastases
    
  • Chondrosarcoma
    
  • Hemangioma
    
  • Paget’s disease
  
  
• Rare:
  
  
  
  • Unicameral (simple) bone cyst – more commonly found at the metaphysis of long bones
    
  • Osteochondroma – more common in long bones and appendicular skeleton (incidence in spine in multiple hereditary exostoses is 3%)
    
  • Osteosarcoma