[Periarticular heterotopic ossification secondary to central neurogenic dysfunction]

A case of a 48 year old woman with a medical background of tetraparesis related to a right lobectomy and periarticular ossification development (that included both knee joints) is presented. Bone scintigraphy was performed to evaluate the metabolism of the bone lesions. The scintigraphic pattern showed an important involvement of the medial and lateral left knee and medial right knee compartments, initially attributed to degenerative osteoarthritis. We believe that the presentation of this case report is interesting for two reasons: 1) the rareness of knee involvement in periarticular heterotopic ossification related to cerebral dysfunction, and 2) the possibility of a false positive diagnosis: osteoarthritic involvement versus juxta-articular ossification. This paper reviews the role of diagnostic imaging methods in the assessment of periarticular heterotopic ossification and the differential scintigraphic diagnosis regarding to osteoarticular disorders (more frequent among the general population).