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Pathology
Osteomyelitis
Bone tumors
Chondrosarcoma
Osteochondroma
Achondroplasia
Arthrogryposis
Cleidocranial dysplasia
Club foot
Craniosynostosis
Flat feet
Genu valgum
Genu varum
Osteogenesis imperfecta
Pectus excavatum
Pigeon toe
Lordosis, kyphosis, and scoliosis
Osteomalacia and rickets
Osteopetrosis
Osteoporosis
Osteosclerosis
Paget disease of bone
Degenerative disc disease
Sciatica
Spinal disc herniation
Spondylolisthesis
Spondylolysis
Achilles tendon rupture
Anterior cruciate ligament injury
Iliotibial band syndrome
Meniscus tear
Patellar tendon rupture
Patellofemoral pain syndrome
Sprained ankle
Unhappy triad
Compartment syndrome
Rhabdomyolysis
Carpal tunnel syndrome
Erb-Duchenne palsy
Klumpke paralysis
Sciatica
Thoracic outlet syndrome
Ulnar claw
Winged scapula
Carpal tunnel syndrome
Dislocated shoulder
Erb-Duchenne palsy
Klumpke paralysis
Radial head subluxation (Nursemaid elbow)
Rotator cuff tear
Thoracic outlet syndrome
Ulnar claw
Winged scapula
Back pain: Pathology review
Bone disorders: Pathology review
Bone tumors: Pathology review
Gout and pseudogout: Pathology review
Muscular dystrophies and mitochondrial myopathies: Pathology review
Myalgias and myositis: Pathology review
Neuromuscular junction disorders: Pathology review
Pediatric musculoskeletal disorders: Pathology review
Rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis: Pathology review
Scleroderma: Pathology review
Seronegative and septic arthritis: Pathology review
Sjogren syndrome: Pathology review
Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE): Pathology review
Bone tumors: Pathology review
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Laboratory value | Result |
Hemoglobin | 11.2 g/dL |
Mean corpuscular hemoglobin | 90 fl |
Creatinine | 2.3 mg/dL |
Total protein | 9.5 |
Albumin | 3.2 g/dL |
Sodium | 132 mEq/L |
Potassium | 4.2 mEq/L |
Chloride | 95 mEq/L |
Calcium | 12 mg/dl |
While doing your rounds, you see two individuals. First is James, a 14-year-old boy who came in for chronic right knee pain, night sweats, and weight loss. He didn’t report falling or any other trauma to the region or any additional symptoms. On examination, his right knee is slightly larger than the left and, on palpation, a hard mass can be felt on the metaphysis of his right femur, close to the knee region. Then you see William, who’s 22 years old and complains of a 1-month history of bone pain along his left tibia, a problem which is worse at night. One interesting observation he made was that the pain responds well to Ibuprofen, a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug. On examination, palpation reveals a bony mass on the anterior surface of the left tibial diaphysis. As expected, X-ray scans were obtained. They showed a distal sunburst appearance and Codman's triangle in James’ right femur, whereas William’s x-ray scans detected a small lesion under 2 centimeters with a radiolucent core on the anterior surface of his left tibia.
Now, both seem to have some type of bone tumor. But first, a bit of physiology. Even though the bones vary in size and shape, all bones are made of the same types of cells, and chief among them are osteoblasts which build up new bone, and osteoclasts which help with bone breakdown or resorption. Now in addition to these, there are some more primitive cells in the bone marrow called human mesenchymal stem cells and neuroectodermal cells, which can differentiate into many cell types including nerve, fat, bone, and cartilage cells. In terms of anatomy, looking at a long, bone like the femur, it has two epiphysis, which are the ends that contribute to joints with other bones. Between the two epiphyses, is the diaphysis, also called the bone shaft. In children and adolescents, there is an additional narrow portion between the epiphysis and the diaphysis called the metaphysis. The metaphysis contains the growth plate, the part of the bone that grows during childhood. In adults, the growth plate has ossified and fused with the diaphysis and the epiphysis.
Bone tumors can be either benign (non-cancerous) or malignant (cancerous), and can occur in any bone in the body. Bone tumors may be caused by several different factors, including genetics, infection, trauma, and exposure to radiation or certain chemicals.
Benign bone tumors include osteochondroma, giant-cell tumor, osteoid osteoma, and osteoblastoma. Malignant bone tumors include osteosarcoma, Ewing sarcoma, and chondrosarcoma
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