Multiple and symmetric osteosclerosis: osteopoikilosis

Abstract

Introduction: Osteopoikilosis is a benign and asymptomatic bone dysplasia characterized by multiple foci of bone sclerosis in epiphysis and metaphysis of long bones, carpus, tarsus and phalanges. Clinical case: 13 year old male in whom, due to growth slow-down, carpus X-ray is requested. In it, there are multiple images of osteosclerosis, which are rounded and welldefined, in the carpus and phalanges bones. Maternal background of Buschke-Ollendorf syndrome. Conclusions: Osteopoikilosis is a hereditary benign bone dysplasia of unknown pathogeny. As it is asymptomatic, its diagnosis is mostly performed by chance. It may be associated to skin lesions, constituting the Buschke-Ollendorf syndrome and to nervous compression syndromes. It rarely becomes malignant. Its clinical importance is determined by the need to know this entity and avoid unnecessary investigations motivated by erroneous diagnostic suspicion.