[Tumoral calcinosis. Apropos of a further case in a child]

Tumor-like calcinosis is an infrequent condition whose etiology is poorly understood. Calcifications develop in the subcutaneous tissue neighboring the large joints. All age groups can be affected, although the disease is more common before the age of twenty years. A new case of tumor-like calcinosis in an eight-year-old girl is reported here. A huge mass in the right hip region and a smaller mass around the right elbow were found. Biologic studies revealed increased serum phosphorus levels with normal serum calcium levels. Roentgenograms confirmed the diagnosis of tumor-like calcinosis by showing calcified masses independent from the bones of the neighboring joint. Management consisted in complete removal of both masses. Outcome was favorable. In this patient's family, the disease appears to be inherited according to a dominant pattern, although recessive autosomal transmission is believed to be more common.