Disappearing calvarium in Gorham disease: MR imaging characteristics with pathologic correlation

AJNR Am J Neuroradiol. 2004 Mar;25(3):415-8.

Abstract

Gorham disease is a rare condition characterized by intraosseous neoplastic proliferation of hemangiomatous tissue with progressive, massive osteolysis. We present a pathologically proved case of Gorham disease that involved the left parietal bone in a 23-year-old man. Imaging studies including conventional radiography of the skull, CT, MR imaging, and Technetium-99 m (Tc-99 m) scintigraphy demonstrated a large skull defect without associated soft tissue mass over the left parietal skull. Contrast enhancement and increased isotope uptake along the margin of the defect were shown at gadolinium-enhanced T1-weighted MR imaging and Tc-99 m methylene diphosphate (Tc-99 m MDP) bone scintigraphy. Pathologic study revealed intraosseous angiomatosis at the periphery of the osteolytic skull lesion.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Angiomatosis / diagnosis
  • Angiomatosis / pathology
  • Diagnosis, Differential
  • Follow-Up Studies
  • Humans
  • Image Processing, Computer-Assisted*
  • Imaging, Three-Dimensional*
  • Magnetic Resonance Imaging*
  • Male
  • Osteolysis / diagnosis*
  • Osteolysis / pathology
  • Osteolysis, Essential / diagnosis*
  • Osteolysis, Essential / pathology
  • Parietal Bone / pathology*
  • Radionuclide Imaging*
  • Technetium Tc 99m Medronate
  • Tomography, X-Ray Computed*

Substances

  • Technetium Tc 99m Medronate