Musculoskeletal system
Case TypeClinical Cases
Authors
Shakeel Faruqui1, Faraz Hosseini-Ardehali2, Bertrand Annan1, Babak Langroudi1
1 East and North Hertfordshire NHS Trust, Stevenage, Hertfordshire, UNITED KINGDOM
2 MBBS, Royal Free London NHS Trust
54 years, male
A 54-year-old man with chronic renal failure was admitted to a district general hospital with a three week history of left hip pain and reduced mobility of the joint. He had also noticed a bony lump growing over the sternal notch over the course of several months.
1) Plain radiograph pelvis: Revealed a large (10cm x 6.5cm) area of calcification adjacent to the left greater trochanter [Fig. A].
2) CT Pelvis: Demonstrates peri-articular multilobulated calcification anterolateral to the left greater trochanter. Multiple fluid calcium levels, demonstrating the sedimentation sign may be seen [Fig. B].
3) CT Thorax: Revealed a 3cm x 3cm calcification adjacent to the sternum. [Fig. C].
4) Nuclear medicine scan: demonstrated a focus of retained radiotracer in the region of the lower pole of right lobe of the thyroid gland suggestive of a parathyroid adenoma. [Fig. D].
Background:
Secondary tumoral calcinosis involves extensive calcification of periarticular tissues and is often associated with chronic renal failure, presenting as a palpable cutaneous mass that is usually found in the extensor aspects of the periarticular regions of hips, knees, elbows, shoulder, and more rarely the feet, hands and spine. [1, 2, 3] This is most frequently attributed to hyperparathyroidism and disturbances of calcium-phosphate metabolism. [2]
Primary tumoral calcinosis is a radiologically and histologically indistinguishable condition seen in patients without chronic renal failure, affecting a younger subgroup of patients, and is a hereditary condition [3]. In this condition, biochemical tests of calcium-phosphate metabolism and parathyroid hormones are often normal [4]
Clinical Perspective:
A 54-year-old male patient was admitted with a three week history of left-sided hip pain, which resulted in reduced mobility and the patient had an antalgic gait. In addition, he described hard prominence over the sternal notch. He had a coronary artery bypass procedure a year back. There was no known history of trauma to either the hip or the sternum. The sternal mass was recently biopsied at another hospital , having produced a few millilitres of a creamy aspirate.
Imaging Perspective:
Plain radiography of hip demonstrated a large area of calcification. Subsequent CT Pelvis demonstrated periarticular multilobulated calcification anterolateral to the greater trochanter. A previous CT Chest was reviewed and calcification was noted juxtaposed to the sternum (X-ray Chest was not available). The case was discussed in the multidisciplinary team meeting and as the Chest CT did not show any parathyroid mass. A nuclear medicine scan was performed which demonstrated a focus of retained radiotracer in the region of the lower pole of the right lobe of the thyroid gland suggestive of a parathyroid adenoma.
Outcome:
The patient subsequently underwent a total parathyroidectomy. An Ultrasound-guided steroidal injection into the left trochanteric region was performed and subsequent CT demonstrated complete resolution of calcification. The blood calcium levels also improved.
Teaching points:
• Soft-tissue calcification should be considered as a cause of joint pain or bony prominence in patients with renal failure together with a broad range of differential diagnoses that have similar radiological appearances. [5, 6, 7]
• Tumoral calcinosis is a rare condition present in only 0.5% - 1.2% of patients with renal failure and therefore may be misdiagnosed. [5]
• It is important to correlate radiological appearances with biochemical findings in patients who are known to have conditions causing metabolic abnormalities.
Written informed patient consent for the publication has been obtained.
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[5] Olsen KM et al 2006. Tumoral calcinosis: Pearls, Polemics, and Alternative Possibilities. RSNA Education Exhibits May 2006. (PMID 16702460)
[6] Banks KP et al. A compartmental approach to the radiographic evaluation of soft-tissue calcifications. Semin Roentgenol. 2005 Oct;40(4):391-407. (PMID: 16218555)
[7] Yarmish G, Klein MJ, Landa J et-al. Imaging characteristics of primary osteosarcoma: non-conventional subtypes. Radiographics. 2010;30 (6): 1653-72. (PMID: 21071381)
URL: | https://eurorad.org/case/16448 |
DOI: | 10.35100/eurorad/case.16448 |
ISSN: | 1563-4086 |
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