Occupational Acroosteolysis

Abstract

Four subjects with acroosteolysis were studied clinically. All had osteolytic lesions, especially in the distal phalanges of the hands, and Raynaud’s phenomenon. All had worked as polyvinyl chloride reactor-vessel cleaners, with hand scraping being the common mode of operation. Raynaud’s phenomenon anteceded osteolytic lesions. One of the subjects was in negative calcium and phosphorus balance. Plethysmographic abnormalities were present in three. Esophageal motility was normal. Scintiscans of the hands using sodium fluoride labelled with radioactive fluorine (¹⁸F) revealed variable uptakes in the fingers which correlated with the radiographic lesions. A wide variety of clinical laboratory parameters were normal.