Osteochondroma of the phalanx: a late Roman case

Accounting for 20-50% of all benign forms, solitary osteochondromae are the most common kind of bone tumour. The long bones of the lower extremity are the most frequently affected; the small bones of the hands and feet, the pelvis, the scapula, and the spine are less usual locations. This paper describes an osteochondroma in a proximal phalanx of the hand of a female aged between 17 and 25 years buried in a Late Roman necropolis from SE Spain. The bone displayed a solitary osteochondroma, which was confirmed by macroscopic and radiographic examination. This is the first palaeopathological example of a solitary sessile osteochondroma of the hand.