Shocking X-rays show woman’s bones ‘DISAPPEARING before her doctors’ eyes’
A series of X-rays over 18 months appeared to show her bones vanishing after the 44-year-old woman went into hospital complaining of a pain in her arm and shoulder
SHOCKING X-rays appear to show a woman's bones disappearing before her doctors' eyes.
The woman first went to the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh in Scotland with pain in her left arm and shoulder that wouldn't go away.
Unable to find the cause of her pain doctors took a series of X-rays over an 18-month period, which appeared to show her bones vanishing.
The 44-year-old was diagnosed with Gorham-Stout disease, also known as "vanishing bone disease".
It's an extremely rare condition in which people experience gradual bone loss, according to the BMJ case report.
Doctors don't know what causes the condition and no genetic links for the disease have ever been discovered.
Those who have the condition also experience an abnormal growth of blood vessels and lymphatic vessels, which can damage the bone and cause it to break down.
In this case, the woman had experienced pain and multiple fractures before her diagnosis.
Her first scan revealed a lesion on her humerus bone - the bone in her upper arm - and doctors first thought it might be cancer but further tests ruled that out.
Several months later the patient returned to hospital and tests revealed a benign blood vessel tumour - essentially a non-cancerous cluster of blood vessels.
Over the next year her pain and swelling continued, and she suffered multiple fractures of the bone.
Eighteen months after she first went to the doctor, X-rays revealed both her humerus and ulnar bone in her forearm were vanishing and biopsies showed blood vessels were replacing her bone tissue.
Only 64 cases of the disease have been recorded, according to the report.
"While the condition is considered benign, the prognosis is uncertain, with potential fatal complications that include disease spread to the vertebrae, leading to pleural effusion and quadriplegia," Dr Jarrad Stevens wrote in the report.
"The progressive bone loss can lead to complete bone resorption.
"Due to its rarity, diagnosis is challenging and first requires the exclusion of more common disorders including neoplastic, inflammatory, infectious and endocrine disease.
"Presentation can include pain, functional impairment and swelling, although asymptomatic cases have been described.
"X-ray may show atrophy, bone tapering and pathological fractures."
MORE CASE REPORTS
Gorham-Stout disease most commonly affects the ribs, spine, pelvis, skull, collarbone and jaw.
Some people may experience rapid pain and swelling in the area while others experience a dull ache and weakness that gets worse over time.
Treatment usually focuses on managing an individuals symptoms.
Some patients may need bone grafts to help repair their bones and in other cases areas of affected bone may be surgically removed.
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