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Osteomyelitis
Chronic multifocal osteomyelitis

Author: Dariusz Borys, M.D. (see Authors page)

Revised: 14 September 2016, last major update June 2012

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PubMed Search: Chronic multifocal osteomyelitis
Table of Contents
Definition / general | Sites | Radiology images | Treatment | Microscopic (histologic) description | Microscopic (histologic) images | Differential diagnosis
Cite this page: Chronic multifocal osteomyelitis. PathologyOutlines.com website. http://www.pathologyoutlines.com/topic/bonechronicmultifocal.html. Accessed September 24th, 2018.
Definition / general
  • Recurrent variant of osteomyelitis in children and young adults of unknown origin (Hum Pathol 1999;30:59)
  • Low grade fever, local swelling and pain
  • Periods of exacerbation and remission over years
  • Negative cultures
Sites
  • Metaphyses of tubular bones, clavicle
  • Multiple asymptomatic sites
  • Associated skin lesion - pustulosis palmoplantaris
Radiology images

Images hosted on Pathout server:
Missing Image

Chronic type, wrist xray - contributed by Dr. Mark R. Wick

Treatment
  • Non steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs; do not use antibiotics since cultures are negative
Microscopic (histologic) description
  • Early neutrophilic inflammation
  • Late fibrosis of marrow with chronic inflammatory infiltrate
  • Plasma cell predominance
  • Fragments of necrotic bone with multinucleated giant cells
Microscopic (histologic) images

Images hosted on Pathout server:
Missing Image    

Chronic type - contributed by Dr. Mark R. Wick

Differential diagnosis
  • Rheumatic disease
  • Bacterial osteomyelitis
  • Malignancy
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