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Updated: Jul 10, 2026
07:56
Scanning Skeletal Remains for Bone Mineral Density in Forensic Contexts
Published on: January 29, 2018
Vanishing bone disease involving the pelvis
Rohit Malde1, Hari Mohan Agrawal, Sarbani Laskar Ghosh
1Department of Radiation Oncology, Tata Memorial Hospital, Mumbai, India.
Journal of Cancer Research and Therapeutics
|November 14, 2007
Summary
Vanishing bone disease, a rare condition causing bone loss, can spontaneously arrest. This case highlights a self-limited progression of osteolysis in a patient with a history of iliac bone angioma.
Area of Science:
- Orthopedics
- Radiology
- Pathology
Background:
- Vanishing bone disease (Gorham-Stout disease) involves progressive osteolysis and replacement of bone with vascular fibrous tissue.
- This rare condition presents diagnostic challenges due to non-specific symptoms and imaging findings.
Observation:
- A 38-year-old female presented with a 2-year history of limping gait and walking pain.
- She had a prior diagnosis of angioma in the left iliac bone.
- Radiological assessments suggested degenerative changes, with metastatic disease also considered.
Findings:
- Biopsy and Positron Emission Tomography (PET) scan excluded active disease.
- The patient's condition was deemed possibly self-limited, with spontaneous cessation of bone resorption.
Implications:
- This case underscores the importance of considering self-limited or arrested disease in vanishing bone disease.
- Accurate diagnosis requires a multidisciplinary approach combining imaging, biopsy, and clinical follow-up.
- Understanding the natural history of vanishing bone disease is crucial for appropriate patient management.
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