Disseminated migratory osteoporosis: an unusual pattern of osteoporosis

Regional migratory osteoporosis (RMO) is a well-defined clinical entity, consisting of migratory osteoporosis involving the lower extremities with associated radiographic changes. Idiopathic osteoporosis (IO) is considered to be a separate and distinct entity, occurring in young adults and consisting of axial osteoporosis and back pain. We describe a patient who had hybrid characteristics, both clinically and radiographically, and include iliac-crest biopsy histologic correlation. We believe that this pattern of osteoporosis in many ways resembles RMO, but with severe axial involvement; hence the term disseminated migratory osteoporosis.