[Roentgenologic and nuclear medicine findings in alkaptonuric ochronosis]

In alkaptonuria, a recessively inherited disturbance of amino acid metabolism, deposits of oxydation products of homogentisinic acid result in the disease pattern of ochronosis. Due to the enhanced brittleness of the supporting and gliding tissue, ochronotic arthropathy develops at the vertebral column and later at the major joints with typical roentgenological changes especially in the intervertebral space and the intervertebral disk, as well as the adjacent vertebral bodies. The bone scintigram shows enhanced accumulation in the base and tectorial plates as well as in the adjacent sclerosing zones in the spongiosa of the affected vertebral bodies.