Usefulness of bone imaging in diagnosis of sternocostoclavicular hyperostosis

Four patients with sternocostoclavicular hyperostosis showing characteristic abnormal uptake on bone imaging are described. Bone imaging was useful in the diagnosis of sternocostoclavicular hyperostosis.     

Computed tomographic appearances of sternocostoclavicular hyperostosis

Computed tomographical analysis of sternocostoclavicular hyperostosis was performed in 27 patients. In the earliest stage hyperostosis occurred around the cartilaginous portion of the first ribs. The sternoclavicular joint space was preserved even in the late stage III of the disorder. These findings suggest that sternocostoclavicular hyperostosis develops around the costal cartilage including periosteum, perichondrium, and the ligamentous structures, and that the sternoclavicular joint is not primarily involved. It is also suggested that perichondritis and periostitis play important roles in the etiology of this disorder.     

Spinal changes in association with sternocostoclavicular hyperostosis

A case of sternocostoclavicular hyperostosis was reported in a 63-year-old woman who had been followed for 15 years. Radiographic changes in the claviculo-sternal area were typical of this condition, and biopsy revealed abnormalities in the right clavicle and in the sternum compatible with infection. Radiographic changes in the thoracic and lumbar spine revealed findings compatible with infective spondylitis and a seronegative spondylarthropathy, respectively. The nature of these spinal changes as compared with those of diffuse idiopathic skeletal hyperostosis and seronegative spondylarthropathy is discussed.     

Stress fracture of the clavicle associated with sternocostoclavicular hyperostosis

We report a case of stress fracture of the clavicle associated with sternocostoclavicular hyperostosis. A 60-year-old man sustained a stress fracture of the right clavicle with no history of trauma. On radiography, hyperostosis of the anterior chest wall and ankylosis of the sternoclavicular joint were evident in addition to the fracture. Fracture healing was uneventful after 2.5 months. Ankylosis of the sternoclavicular joint may have caused increased stress at the midshaft of the clavicle by daily activity or minor trauma. Such a fracture is a rare complication of sternocostoclavicular hyperostosis.     

A radionuclide and radiographic diagnosis of sternocostoclavicular hyperostosis

Imaging features of a case of sternoclavicular hyperostosis are described, and the pathologic and clinical features of this uncommon entity are discussed.     

The bullhead sign: scintigraphic pattern of sternocostoclavicular hyperostosis and pustulotic arthroosteitis

Objective: The purpose of this retrospective study was to examine the value of whole-body nuclear medicine imaging and to evaluate the typical scintigraphic pattern of sternocostoclavicular hyperostosis (SCCH) and/or pustulotic arthroosteitis (PAO). In this entity the correct diagnosis is frequently missed because of uncharacteristic changes in other imaging modalities. Materials and methods: Forty-nine patients (age range 15–65 years old, mean age 36 years) with sternocostoclavicular hyperostosis (SCCH) and/or pustulotic arthroosteitis (PAO) were examined with whole-body scintigraphy and conventional radiography. Results: Forty-three of 49 patients with SCCH/PAO showed a characteristic “bullhead”-like high tracer uptake of the sternocostoclavicular region with the manubrium sterni representing the upper skull and the inflamed sternoclavicular joints corresponding to the horns (= bullhead sign). Scintigraphy revealed additional skeletal manifestations (spondylitis, sacroiliitis, osteitis) in 33 of 49 patients with SCCH and/or PAO. Conclusions: Bone scintigraphy is the imaging modality of choice for the diagnosis of skeletal involvement in PAO. Nuclear medicine reveals unexpected locations and shows the typical pattern of focal hot spots of the spine, sacroiliac joints and/or appendicular skeleton in the large majority of cases in combination with a bullhead-like tracer uptake of the sternocostoclavicular region. The bullhead sign is the typical and highly specific scintigraphic manifestation of SCCH and PAO in radionuclide bone scans and helps to avoid unnecessary biopsies. Received 16 June 1997; Revision received 28 August 1997; Accepted 10 November 1997     

掌跖脓疱病性骨关节炎影像学表现并文献复习

掌跖脓疱病是一种病因未明的慢性复发性皮肤病,好发于掌跖,在红斑基础上周期性发生深在无菌性小脓疱,伴角化、脱屑(图1).目前尚无特效疗法,很难彻底治愈.因其特征性,手足掌脓疱性病变诊断并不困难,但其所并发的关节病变因患病少、认识不足常被误诊、漏诊和误治[1-2].现分析掌跖脓疱病关节表现及影像学特征,认识并熟悉它,有利于与其他关节疾病相鉴别.     

Bone metabolic activity in hyperostosis cranialis interna measured with 18F-fluoride PET

Purpose  

¹⁸F-Fluoride PET/CT is a relatively undervalued diagnostic test to measure bone metabolism in bone diseases. Hyperostosis cranialis interna (HCI) is a (hereditary) bone disease characterised by endosteal hyperostosis and osteosclerosis of the skull and the skull base. Bone overgrowth causes entrapment and dysfunction of several cranial nerves. The aim of this study is to compare standardised uptake values (SUVs) at different sites in order to quantify bone metabolism in the affected anatomical regions in HCI patients.     

Rib hyperostosis: a benign entity with suspicious imaging features

Rib hyperostosis has previously been described in conjunction with disorders causing excessive vertebral ossification due to osseous bridging across the costovertebral joint, such as in diffuse idiopathic skeletal hyperostosis. Hyperostosis is believed to be a reactive process due to altered forces across the affected rib as bridging osteophytes decrease mobility at the respective costovertebral joint. The imaging characteristics of rib hyperostosis can be highly suspicious for malignancy. We share 2 cases of biopsy-proven benign rib hyperostosis with imaging across multiple modalities in hopes of increasing awareness of this entity and its imaging characteristics. In the first case, a 62-year-old female without history of malignancy underwent rib biopsy after bone scintigraphy demonstrated intense radiotracer uptake along a posteromedial rib. In the second case, a 66-year-old male with history of recurrent prostate cancer underwent rib biopsy after interval development of intense radiotracer uptake on bone scintigraphy along a posteromedial rib, new compared to 6 months prior. Both cases were seen in the setting of osseous bridging at the respective costovertebral joint. Imaging findings include contiguous radiotracer uptake on bone scintigraphy confined to the rib and respective costovertebral joint, cortical bone thickening with osseous excrescence at the costovertebral joint on radiographic and cross-sectional imaging, and increased osseous edema-like change, postcontrast enhancement, and surrounding soft tissue edema on magnetic resonance imaging. By increasing awareness to these imaging features, we hope to improve diagnostic confidence and decrease unnecessary, expensive, and sometimes invasive workup for future patients.     

Spinal hyperostosis in comparative pathology

Spinal hyperostosis, an anatomical and radiological concept primarily described in man, is characterized by enthesopathic bony overgrowth on vertebral bodies in the form of spurs or intervertebral bridges. It can also be part of a more diffuse enthesopathic condition, including the appendicular skeleton. These changes are distinct from those of osteoarthrosis. Similar changes can be observed in all kinds of mammals, independent of their type of locomotion (bipodic, quadrumanous, quadrupedic, or aquatic). An anatomical and radiological study is presented of six cases (with histological examination of two dogs and one horese, and observation of macerated specimens of one horse, one equida, and one whale). Comparative pathology allows for a better understanding of the concept of hyperostosis and, even more clearly than in man, this can be distinguished from that of discovertebral pathology although both conditions could be associated in older subjects. The knowledge of spinal hyperostosis in veterinary medicine could-as in man-be of interest to differentiate between this process and other features of vertebral pathology.     

Bone imaging after acute knee hemarthrosis

Follow-up evaluations were carried out in 84 patients examined 5–8 years after sustaining an acute traumatic hemarthrosis of the knee. The initial examination performed within 2 weeks of injury had revealed 18 patients with a stable knee and 66 with anterior instability. Twelve of the patients underwent anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction within 3 months of injury and 11 more did so between 1 and 3 years after injury. To document joint deterioration at follow-up, bone scintigraphy and conventional anteroposterior, lateral, and tunnel X-rays were taken. Medial, lateral, patellofemoral and patellar uptake in bone seintigraphy was graded from 0 to 4. Six radiological variables were graded at eight different sites. Sixty-three patients (75%) had a positive bone scan and 69 patients (82%) showed radiological changes. Bone scan and X-ray scores were both significantly higher in the reconstructed knees.Funded by NIH grant AR 39359-03     

Bone marrow MR imaging findings in disuse osteoporosis

Objective  

To demonstrate MR imaging findings in the cortical and trabecular bone as well as marrow changes in patients with disuse osteoporosis (DO).