Twelve patients with parosteal osteosarcomas were evaluated by computed tomography (CT). CT accurately defined the extent of the tumors for purposes of surgical planning, although tumor bone often could not be distinguished from thickened host bone. Nine tumors invaded the medullary cavity, a feature that implies a poorer prognosis when the tumor also contains high-grade areas. Six CT studies accurately detected the medullary invasion, but three did not. Lucent areas within dense tumors contained either benign tissue or high- or low-grade tumor; CT did not differentiate among these different tissues. CT also did not reveal small satellite nodules of tumor beyond the main tumor mass.