A patient presented with bone pain, polydypsia and polyurea and signs of proximal myopathy. X-rays of the hands, knees and pelvis suggested the diagnosis which was confirmed by blood chemistry abnormalities.
The patient presented with pain in both knees. He gave a two years history of proximal myopathy (unable to squat and then stand without lifting himself using his arms), polydypsia and polyuria . X-ray of both knees (fig1) and pelvis (fig2) were taken. X-rays of both hands (fig3), an isotope bone scan (fig4) and a CT of the knee (fig5) were also obtained. Blood chemistry showed a raised alkaline phosphatase (654 u/l), corrected serum calcium (3.51 mmol/l) and parathormone (238 pmo/l) levels. Neck surgical exploration revealed a parathyroid adenoma. On postoperative follow-up the patient’s blood chemistry returned to normal and his symptoms including bone pain had much reduced.
Skeletal changes of hyperparathyroidism include bone resorption, bone cyst, osteoporosis, osteosclerosis, and brown tumor. Brown tumors result from primary or secondary hyperparathyroidism. A solitary adenoma is the most common cause of primary hyperparathyroidism, followed by hyperplasia and carcinoma.
Brown tumors or osteoclastomas are well-defined lesions of the axial and appendicular skeleton that can range from purely lytic lesions to sclerotic areas. The facial bones, pelvis, ribs, and femurs are the most common sites of involvement (1).
On radiography and computerized tomography, the nonsclerotic lesions represent an early short-lived phase with increased size of the osteoclast pool, increased bone resorption, and decreased size of the osteoblast pool. This is followed by sclerotic lesions with an increased osteoblastic pool. Therefore, sclerotic lesions of brown tumors could represent the healing phase of the lesions. Another possible explanation is the chronic stimulus of elevated PTH, which results in an increase in osteoblasts (2). Osteoid formation, rapid bone turnover, and hypervascularity account for the increased activity on Tc-99m MDP bone scintigraphs (3).
Multiple Brown tumours can mimic metastatic bone disease (4&5) and should be included in the differential diagnosis of multiple bone lesions. The presence of other radiographic signs of hyperparathyroidism will help in making the radiological diagnosis. This can be confirmed by elevated serum calcium and parathormone (PTH) levels. In rare cases a bone biopsy may be needed.
Hyperparathyroidism secondary to parathyroid adenoma
Based on the provided X-ray images (both hands, both knees, pelvis, etc.), as well as bone scan and CT imaging, the following main features are noted:
Combining the patient’s bone pain, proximal muscle weakness, polydipsia, and polyuria, the above radiological findings suggest a systemic abnormality of bone turnover. Multiple bone sites showing “active” lesions indicate that a metabolic or endocrine disorder could be responsible for these changes.
Based on imaging characteristics and clinical findings, the main differential diagnoses include:
Considering the patient’s age, symptoms (bone pain, polyuria, polydipsia, muscle weakness), radiological findings (multiple osteolytic or sclerotic lesions), and laboratory data (elevated serum calcium and PTH), the most likely diagnosis is:
Primary Hyperparathyroidism with Multiple Brown Tumors.
If uncertainty persists, a bone biopsy and further imaging of the parathyroid glands (e.g., ultrasound, CT, or radionuclide scans) can help confirm the cause and rule out malignancy.
This report represents a reference medical analysis based on the currently available information and does not replace in-person consultation or professional medical advice. The specific treatment plan should be individually determined by a clinical physician combining these findings with the patient’s actual condition.
Hyperparathyroidism secondary to parathyroid adenoma