BONE LESIONS IN PRIMARY AMYLOIDOSIS

Abstract

Reports of primary systemic amyloidosis affecting bone are rare. Those that have been recognized showed a striking predilection for involvement of the proximal humerus and the femoral neck. The roentgen changes consisted of destructive lesions caused by replacement of bone by massive deposits of amyloid. Increased soft tissue density representing capsular and pericapsular infiltration was uniformly noted at major joints. A review of primary amyloidosis is presented including discussion of the pathogenesis. A case is reported [human] which represents one of the rare examples of bone lesions in the primary systemic disease. Clinical and postmortem details are given. Although the diagnosis of primary systemic amyloidosis is usually made before striking bone findings are seen on roentgen examination, the lyric osseous changes represent an interesting addition to the large group of differential or skeletal changes in systemic diseases.