Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 26, 2025

A Surgical Procedure for Resecting the Mouse Rib: A Model for Large-Scale Long Bone Repair
Published on: January 21, 2015
Melorheostosis With Uniform Rib Thickening
Akane Ariga1, Yuki Funauchi1, Shingo Sato
1From the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Graduate School of Medicine and Dental Sciences.
Abstract:
A 16-year-old girl presented with left chest pain. Radiography and CT revealed localized abnormal calcification in the left sixth rib and sixth thoracic vertebra. Bone scintigraphy confirmed abnormal uptake of 99m Tc in the same area. An open biopsy of the sixth rib was performed, leading to the diagnosis of melorheostosis. This case showed uniformly thickened calcification throughout the rib, unlike the typical "dripping candle wax" radiography finding associated with melorheostosis. This case implies the importance of open biopsy for diagnostic confirmation in cases with atypical imaging features.
Related Concept Videos
The Thoracic Cage: Ribs
Parts of a Typical Rib
A typical rib has a head, neck, and body. The posterior end of the rib is called the head, followed by a narrow neck. The head articulates primarily with the costal...
Bone Disorders
Bone deposition is also affected by the levels of sex hormones like estrogen and testosterone that promote osteoblast activity and bone matrix synthesis. When the level of these hormones decreases due to aging, it causes a reduction in bone deposition. As a result, bone resorption by osteoclasts...
Disorders of the Skeletal Muscle
Musculoskeletal disorders
Musculoskeletal disorders involve injuries and conditions affecting the skeletal muscles and associated connective tissues. These disorders can arise from acute biomechanical stresses or chronic overuse and can occur across different age groups. Common injuries include sprains, fractures, and muscular strains, often resulting from...
Compact Bone
Compact bone, also called cortical bone, is the denser, stronger of the two types of bone tissue. It is found under the periosteum and in the diaphyses of long bones, where it provides support and protection. The microscopic structural unit of compact bone is called an osteon, or haversian system. Each osteon is composed of concentric rings of calcified...
Bone Formation by Endochondral Ossification
The Thoracic Cage: Sternum
The sternum is the elongated bony structure on the anterior side of the thoracic cage. It consists of three parts: the manubrium, the body, and the xiphoid...

