Type I Gaucher disease: extraosseous extension of skeletal disease

Objective. To investigate the frequency and morphology of extraosseous extension in patients with Gaucher disease type I. Design and patients. MRI examinations of the lower extremities were analyzed in 70 patients with Gaucher disease type I. Additionally, the thoracic spine and the midface were investigated on MRI in two patients. Results. Four cases are presented in which patients with Gaucher disease type I and severe skeletal involvement developed destruction or protrusion of the cortex with extraosseous extension into soft tissues. In one patient, Gaucher cell deposits destroyed the cortex of the mandible and extended into the masseter muscle. In the second patient, multiple paravertebral masses with localized destruction of the cortex were apparent in the thoracic spine. In the third and fourth patient, cortical destruction with extraosseous tissue extending into soft tissues was seen in the lower limbs. Conclusions. Extraosseous extension is a rare manifestation of Gaucher bone disease. While an increased risk of cancer, especially hematopoietic in origin, is known in patients with Gaucher disease, these extraosseous benign manifestations that may mimic malignant processes should be considered in the differential diagnosis of extraosseous extension into soft tissues. A narrow neck of tissue was apparent in all cases connecting bone and extraosseous extensions. Received: 19 July 1999 Revision requested: 8 September 1999 Revision received: 7 October 1999 Accepted: 14 October 1999