[Bone hydatidosis. 12 cases]

The hydatic cyst is a parasitic disease caused by the development in man of the larval form of echinococcus granulosus. All parts of the body may be involved, but the liver and lungs are the main locations of the disease. The bone site is rare, accounting for 0.9 to 2% of all hydatic lesions. Between 1982 and 1988, we have compiled 12 cases of hydatic disease of bone. They were located in the skull (4 cases), the iliac bone (4 cases), the omoplate (1 case), the ribs (1 case), the femur (1 case) and the fibula (1 case). These lesions are generally considered as primary, but association with visceral locations was noted in 3 cases in our series.