MRI in chronic recurrent multifocal osteomyelitis

 Objective. To review our experience of chronic recurrent multifocal osteomyelitis (CRMO) and to assess the value of MRI in this rare disease, which mainly affects children and adolescents. Design and patients. Seventeen patients from our departments were reviewed. All underwent conventional radiography and MRI, and most had bone scintigraphy. All had undergone bone biopsy, with microbiological and histopathological examinations, to exclude infectious disease, tumours and tumour-like lesions. Results and conclusion. CRMO affects predominantly the tubular bones of the limbs, followed by the clavicle and the spine. Other locations are rare. Diagnosis is important in avoiding unnecessary diagnostic procedures and to initiate appropriate therapy, and is usually based on a characteristic course and the appearances on radiography. However, CRMO lesions of tubular bones and the spine exhibit quite characteristic MRI features which support the diagnosis, while the appearance of the early clavicular lesion is non-specific. At all sites of CRMO in the skeleton, MRI is valuable in assessing the extent and activity of the lesion. It may exclude pyogenic involvement of the bone and soft tissues and guide effective biopsy.     

Imaging of chronic recurrent multifocal osteomyelitis

The disease of CRMO is a "great clinical and radiologic mimic. There are no specific clinical or laboratory findings and no pathognomonic imaging or pathologic features have been described. Because the disease is not well known by clinician, radiologist, and pathologist alike, it is likely to be more common than the literature implies. It has been suggested that the diagnosis of CRMO requires an interdisciplinary team approach dependent on the cooperation of the pediatrician, orthopedic surgeon, pathologist, and microbiologist. We strongly advocate the addition of the radiologist to this list. We believe that it is the informed radiologist who frequently suggests the correct diagnosis.     

Chronic infections multifocal osteomyelitis vs chronic recurrent multifocal osteomyelitis: with reference to one case

We present a rare case of chronic infectious multifocal osteomyelitis with affectation symmetric in the both femures in a patient with spondyarthropathic secondary Inflammatory Bowel Disease. The diagnosis was confirmed with culture of the bone biopsy. The aim of this work is the revision of the Chronic Infectious Multifocal Osteomyelitis and the Chronic Recurrent Multifocal Osteomyelitis into SAPHO syndrome that both were the possibilities diagnoses.     

Chronic recurrent multifocal osteomyelitis

Chronic recurrent multifocal osteomyelitis is a recognized condition that usually affects children and adolescents. It generally has a self-limited course, causing significant symptoms but leaving few, if any, residual changes in most cases. The authors undertook a retrospective review of the radiographs and medical records of 11 patients with chronic recurrent multifocal osteomyelitis. They found that not all patients have complete resolution of disease, and a small minority may be left with residual bone changes. Chronic recurrent multifocal osteomyelitis was originally reported in Switzerland; most reported cases are from Europe and Scandinavia. The disease is being recognized with increasing frequency in North America.     

Chronic recurrent multifocal osteomyelitis

Chronic recurrent multifocal osteomyelitis (CRMO) is a clinical entity distinct from bacterial osteomyelitis. It occurs mainly in children and adolescents and is characterized by a prolonged, fluctuating course with recurrent episodes of pain occurring over several years. CRMO is often multifocal and most often seen in tubular bones, the clavicle, and less frequently the spine and pelvic bones; other locations are rare. The radiographic appearance suggests subacute or chronic osteomyelitis. Histopathological and laboratory findings are nonspecific and bacterial culture is usually negative. CRMO is often diagnosed by exclusion of the two main differential diagnoses--bacterial infections and tumor--by assessing for a characteristic course and the findings by conventional radiography, if necessary supplemented by scintigraphy and/or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). The MRI appearance of CRMO lesions in tubular bones and the spine is often rather characteristic and support the diagnosis. It is important to diagnose CRMO to avoid unnecessary diagnostic procedures and initiate an appropriate therapy.     

Chronic recurrent multifocal osteomyelitis

Chronic recurrent multifocal osteomyelitis was first described in 1972 and to date 33 cases have been reported, all but one from outside the United States. This unusual osteomyelitis is characteristically recurrent and multifocal with a predilection for the metaphyses. Cultures are persistently negative and antibiotics do not appear to affect the course of the disease, which may be as long as 15 years. Females are affected twice as frequently as males and half the cases are less than ten years old. Antistreptolysin 0 titers are elevated in a quarter of the patients, and there may be a history of previous throat infection. There is an association with pustulosis palmoplantaris. We present two additional cases from the United States.     

Successful treatment of chronic recurrent multifocal osteomyelitis using low-dose radiotherapy

Background

Chronic recurrent multifocal osteomyelitis (CRMO) is a rare autoinflammatory disease, which lacks an infectious genesis and predominantly involves the metaphysis of long bones. Common treatments range from nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) and corticosteroids at first onset of disease, to immunosuppressive drugs and bisphosphonates in cases of insufficient remission. The therapeutic use of low-dose radiotherapy for CRMO constitutes a novelty.

Case report

A 67-year-old female patient presented with radiologically proven CRMO affecting the right tibia/talus and no response to immunosuppressive therapy. Two treatment series of radiation therapy were applied with an interval of 6 weeks. Each series contained six fractions (three fractions per week) with single doses of 0.5 Gy, thus the total applied dose was 6 Gy. Ten months later, pain and symptoms of osteomyelitis had completely vanished.

Conclusion

Radiotherapy seems to be an efficient and feasible complementary treatment option for conventional treatment refractory CRMO in adulthood. The application of low doses per fraction is justified by the inflammatory pathomechanism of disease.

     

Premature epiphyseal fusion and degenerative arthritis in chronic recurrent multifocal osteomyelitis

A 9-year-old boy was diagnosed with chronic recurrent multifocal osteomyelitis affecting multiple sites. During an 8-year follow-up he developed premature closure of a distal radial epiphysis and degenerative changes in the adjacent radiocarpal joint. Received: 26 July 1999 Revision requested: 24 August 1999 Revision received: 27 September 1999 Accepted: 8 October 1999     

全身MRI在慢性复发性多灶性骨髓炎中的诊断进展

慢性复发性多灶性骨髓炎(CRMO)是好发于儿童和青少年的自身炎症性骨病,临床表现及实验室检查缺乏特异性。CRMO早期X线表现可正常,中晚期呈进行性长骨干骺端骨质破坏、硬化或骨皮质增厚等骨髓炎改变。全身MRI检查发现多灶性、对称性骨病,或锁骨、下颌骨单发病变对该病的诊断具有重要提示作用。就CRMO的临床表现、发病机制、全身MRI表现、鉴别诊断及治疗进展进行综述。     

Imaging of chronic recurrent multifocal osteomyelitis of childhood first presenting with isolated primary spinal involvement

OBJECTIVE: Initial presentation with primary spinal involvement in chronic recurrent multifocal osteomyelitis of childhood (CRMO) is rare. Our objective was to review the imaging appearances of three patients who had CRMO who initially presented with isolated primary spinal involvement. DESIGN AND PATIENTS: The imaging, clinical, laboratory and histology findings of the three patients were retrospectively reviewed. Imaging included seven spinal MR imaging scans, one computed tomography scan, nine bone scans, two tomograms and 16 radiographs. These were reviewed by two musculoskeletal radiologists and a consensus view is reported. All three patients presented with atraumatic spinal pain and had extensive bone spinal pathology. The patients were aged 11, 13 and 12 years. There were two females and one male. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS: The initial patient had thoracic T6 and T8 vertebra plana. Bone scan showed additional vertebral body involvement. Follow-up was available over a 3 year period. The second patient had partial collapse of T9 and, 2 years later, of C6. Subsequently extensive multifocal disease ensued and follow-up was available over 8 years. The third patient initially had L3 inferior partial collapse and 1 year later T8 involvement with multifocal disease. Follow-up was available over 3 years. The imaging findings of the three patients include partial and complete vertebra plana with a subchondral line adjacent to endplates associated with bone marrow MR signal alterations. Awareness of the imaging appearances may help the radiologist to include this entity in the differential diagnosis in children who present with spinal pathology and no history of trauma. Histopathological examination excludes tumor and infection but with typical imaging findings may not always be necessary.     

Chronic recurrent multifocal osteomyelitis: an evolving clinical and radiological spectrum

 Objective. To describe unusual clinical and radiological features in patients with chronic recurrent multifocal osteomyelitis (CRMO). Design and subjects. Based on radiographic and microscopic findings, three patients were prospectively diagnosed as having chronic recurrent multifocal osteomyelitis (CRMO). They form the basis of this report because of either the unusualness of the clinical presentation, hitherto undescribed associated diseases or the unusual age of presentation and sites of lesions. Results. One patient developed pyoderma gangrenosum at the site of one of the skeletal lesions and then went on to develop ulcerative proctitis. A second patient presented with a soft tissue mass, which on MRI mimicked a sarcoma. The final patient presented with lesions in the wrist and phalanges of the toes at the unusual age of 38. None of the patients was treated with steroids or antibiotics for the skeletal lesions. Steroids were administered to one patient for treatment of pyoderma gangrenosum. Conclusions. The pattern and distribution of skeletal lesions in CRMO are well recognized in the pediatric age group. The unusual clinical and/or radiological features discussed herein suggests that this is a disease that continues to evolve with a broader spectrum of features than recognized.