[Osseous changes in Hodgkin's disease and cellular bone marrow infiltrations]

In 83 patients (40 females and 43 males) aged from 17 to 69 years belonging to 190 cases of Hodgkin's disease treated as inpatients in the Institute of Haematology in Warsaw in the years 1966-1974 radiological investigations of the skeletal system were done. In 17 cases (20.4%) bone changes were demonstrated appearing as rarefaction (9 cases), sclerosis (6 cases) or mixed (2 cases) changes. The changes were located most frequently in the spine, less frequently in the epiphyses of long bones and flat bones. All 17 cases with bone changes were qualified as IV clinical stage of disease progression. Radiological osseous changes were not pathognomonic and it was difficult to draw conclusions as to the mode of spread. Bone pains were present in 8 patients, including 7 with spinal changes. In some cases treated postmortem specific infiltrations were found in bone marrow.