Differential Diagnoses in
Musculoskeletal Disease
© William Herring, MD, FACR
An Incomplete List
I see a disclaimer in your
future*
*These
differentials are
not intended to
be all inclusive.
Consult a
textbook for all-
inclusive
differentials.
They are
designed as an
aid to
remembering a
few of the most
important
causes for each
of the findings
shown.
How to Use This Presentation
●
First, a case is
shown as an
unknown
●
Try to guess
what
differential the
case
exemplifies
How to Use This Presentation
●
The next slide
shows the
name of the
differential; in
this case it is
ankylosis of
the SI joints
The number in the corner indicates the number of answers in the differential
5
How to Use This Presentation
●
The next
mouse click
will reveal
the
differential
itself
5
How to Use This Presentation
●
The last
slide
reveals the
etiology of
the
original
case
Begin with next case…
Diffuse Increase in Bone Density
1.
1
° malignancy – none
2.
2
° malignancy -
metastases
3.
Non-malignant disease - Paget’s Disease
4.
Myelosclerosis, e.g. Sickle Cell Anemia
5.
Fluorosis
6.
Mastocytosis
7.
Osteopetrosis
8.
Hypervitaminosis D
8
Osteopetrosis
Diffuse Decrease in Bone Density
1.
Osteoporosis
a. Multiple myeloma
b. Steroid administration
2.
Osteomalacia
3.
Hyperparathyroidism
4.
Immobilization
5.
Osteogenesis imperfecta
5+
Osteogenesis imperfecta
©
R
3
, 2000
Focal Sclerotic Lesion(s)
A.
Primary malignancy
1.
Osteosarcoma
B.
Secondary malignancy
1.
Metastases
2.
Lymphoma
C.
Non-malignant
1.
Paget’s Disease
2.
Bone island(s)
3.
Healed fracture(s)
4.
Bone infarct(s)
5.
Osteoid osteoma
8
Mets from prostate ca
©
R
3
, 2000
Focal lytic lesion
A.
1
°
malignancy
1.
Myeloma
B.
2
°
malignancy
1.
Metastases
C.
Non-malignant
1.
Eosinophilic granuloma
2.
Brown tumors
4+
Mets from renal cell ca
Cell type
producing this
finding
Round Cell Lesions
1.
Lymphoma and leukemia
2.
Ewing’s sarcoma
3.
Multiple myeloma
4.
Osteomyelitis
5.
Neuroblastoma
5
Leukemia
Expansile Lesion
1.
1°
malignancy – Plasmacytoma
2.
2
° malignancy -
Mets
3.
Non-malignant – Aneurysmal bone cyst
4.
GCT
5.
Fibrous dysplasia
6.
Brown tumor
7.
Enchondroma
7
Renal cell carcinoma
Location
©
R
3
, 2000
Expansile Lesion of Rib
1.
1
° malignancy – Plasmacytoma
2.
Chondrosarcoma
3.
2° malignancy – Mets
4.
Non-malignant – Fibrous dysplasia
5.
Enchondroma
6.
Eosinophilic granuloma
7.
Neurofibromatosis
7
Fibrous dysplasia
©
R
3
, 2000
Blowout Lesion
1.
Metastases, esp. kidney, thyroid, lung
2.
Giant Cell Tumor
3.
Plasmacytoma
4.
Chondrosarcoma
4
Renal cell ca
©
R
3
, 2000
Soap-bubbly Lesion
1.
1
° Malignancy -
Plasmacytoma
1.
Chondrosarcoma
2.
2
°
Malignancy - Mets
3.
Non-malignant - Fibrous dysplasia
4.
GCT
5.
ABC
6.
Chondromyxoid fibroma
7.
Enchondroma
8.
EG
8+
Plasmacytoma
©
R
3
, 2000
Lesions with Associated
Soft Tissue Masses
1.
Multiple myeloma
2.
Metastases
3.
Osteomyelitis
4.
Primary malignancies of bone
1.
Osteosarcoma
2.
Chondrosarcoma
3.
Fibrosarcoma
4.
Ewing’s sarcoma
4+
Lung ca
Sclerotic Cortical lesions
1.
Osteoid osteoma
2.
Brodie’s abscess
3.
Healing stress fracture
3
Osteoid osteoma
©
R
3
, 2000
Short Thumb
1.
Myositis ossificans progressiva
2.
Fanconi’s syndrome
3.
Holt-Oram Syndrome
3
Fanconi’s Syndrome
©
R
3
, 2000
©
R
3
, 2000
Short 4th Metacarpal
1.
Turner’s syndrome
2.
Pseudohypoparathyroidism*
3.
Pseudop
seudohypoparathyroidism
3
*Short, obese, retarded, abnormal dentition, corneal opacities,
hypocalcemia, hypophosphatemia
Pseudohypoparathyroidism
©
R
3
, 2000
©
R
3
, 2000
Clinodactyly
Inward curvature of 5
th
finger
1.
Down’s syndrome
2.
Cornelia de Lange syndrome*
3.
Carpenter’s syndrome**
3
*Retarded, hirsutism, feeble cry, arched palate, small nose, brachycepalic
skull
** Acrocephalopolysyndactyly = retardation, hypogonadism, PDA, poly-
syndactyly
Otopalatodigital syndrome
©
R
3
, 2000
©
R
3
, 2000
Polydactyly
1.
Isolated anomaly
2.
Ellis-Van Creveld syndrome*
3.
Carpenter’s syndrome**
3
*Chondroectodermal dysplasia = pointy teeth, brittle nails, scant hair,
accelerated maturation, Wormian bones, shortening of all bones
** Acrocephalopolysyndactyly = retardation, hypogonadism, PDA, poly-
syndactyly
Isolated anomaly
©
R
3
, 2000
©
R
3
, 2000
Syndactyly
Osseous c or s soft tissue fusion
1.
Apert’s syndrome*
2.
Carpenter’s syndrome
3.
Down’s syndrome
3
*Hypertelorism, exopthalmus, underdeveloped sinuses, pseudarthroses,
high palate
Carpenter’s Syndrome
©
R
3
, 2000
Erosion - Distal Clavicle
1.
Rheumatoid Arthritis
2.
Hyperparathyroidism
3.
Scleroderma
4.
Cleidocranial dysplasia
4
Hyperparathyroidism
Protrusio Acetabuli
1.
Paget’s disease
2.
RA
3.
Osteomalacia
4.
Osteoporosis
5.
Mucopolysaccharidosis
5
Paget’s Disease
Acro-osteolysis
1.
Thermal injury, burns, frostbite
2.
Scleroderma
3.
Hyperparathyroidism
4.
Psoriasis
5.
Raynaud’s disease
6.
PVC worker
6
Scleroderma
Avascular Necrosis
1.
Idiopathic (Legg-Calve-Perthe’s Disease)
2.
Steroid administration
3.
Sickle cell anemia
4.
Arteritis - collagen-vascular disease
5.
Trauma
6.
Gaucher’s
7.
Pancreatitis
8.
Fat embolism
8
Legg-Calve-Perthe’s Disease
Hypertrophic Osteoarthropathy
1.
Carcinoma of the lung
2.
Mesothelioma
3.
Chronic lung infection (TB)
4.
Chronic liver disease, e.g. cirrhosis
5.
Ulcerative colitis
5
HPO 2
° Lung Cancer
Location of lesion
©
R
3
, 2000
Lesions That Affect The Spine
1.
Osteoblastoma
2.
Chordoma
3.
Aneurysmal bone cysts
4.
Metastases
4
Osteoblastoma
©
R
3
, 2000
Location
©
R
3
, 2000
Lesions That Affect The Pelvis
1.
Chondrosarcoma
2.
Plasmacytoma
3.
Chordoma
3
Chondrosarcoma
©
R
3
, 2000
Posterior Scalloping
1.
Neurofibromatosis
2.
Achondroplasia
3.
Spinal cord tumor (ependymoma)
3
Neurofibromatosis
©
R
3
, 2000
Anterior Scalloping
1.
Aortic aneurysm
2.
TB
3.
Neurofibroma
3
Aortic aneurysm
©
R
3
, 2000
©
R
3
, 2000
Lucent Metaphyseal Bands
1.
Normal
2.
Leukemia
3.
Neuroblastoma
4.
TORCH infection
4
Scurvy
©
R
3
, 2000
Dense Metaphyseal Bands
1.
Normal
2.
Lead poisoning
3.
Treated leukemia
4.
Healing rickets
4
Lead poisoning
Bone Within a Bone
1.
Osteopetrosis
2.
Paget’s disease
3.
Thorotrast
3
Thorotrast
©
R
3
, 2000
Chondrocalcinosis
1.
Pseudogout
2.
Gout
3.
DJD
4.
Hyperparathyroidism
5.
Hemochromatosis
6.
Wilson’s Disease
6
Pseudogout
©
R
3
, 2000
Ankylosis of SI Joints
1.
Ankylosing spondylitis
2.
Psoriasis
3.
Reiter’s syndrome
4.
Inflammatory bowel disease
5.
TB
Ankylosing spondylitis
Intramedullary Calcification
1.
Enchondroma
2.
Bone infarct
3.
Chondrosarcoma
3
Enchondroma
Ribs
©
R
3
, 2000
Thinned Ribs (Ribbon-Ribs)
1.
Neurofibromatosis
2.
Osteogenesis imperfecta
3.
Trisomy 18
4.
Gorham’s Disease
4
Osteogenesis imperfecta
©
R
3
, 2000
©
R
3
, 2000
Wide Ribs
1.
Achondroplasia
2.
Fibrous dysplasia
3.
Rickets (rosary)
4.
Marrow packing disorders
1.
Thalassemia
2.
Mucopolysaccharidosis, esp. Hunter’s
and Hurler’s
3.
Gaucher’s disease
4
Rickets
©
R
3
, 2000
Location
©
ACR, 1995
Lytic Lesion - Finger
1.
Enchondroma
2.
Epidermoid inclusion cyst
3.
Glomus tumor
4.
ABC
5.
GCT
6.
Met from lung, hepatoma
6
Epidermoid Inclusion Cyst
©
ACR, 1995
Wormian Bones
1.
Normal
2.
Hypothyroidism
3.
Down’s Syndrome
4.
Cleidocranial dysostosis
5.
Osteogenesis imperfecta
5
Normal
The End