46-year-old male patient presented with a 5-month history of pain in the lower limbs that started in the right foot, then followed by the left foot and both knees.
He also reported pain in both hands for 2 months associated with night sweating and weight loss of 20 kilograms over 5 months.
X-ray right foot: Juxta-articular osteopaenia involving tarsals, metatarsals and phalanges.
CT right foot: multifocal areas of bone destruction with extra-osseous soft tissue component.
MRI right foot: Multifocal areas of predominantly well-defined abnormal marrow signals appearing hypointense in T1WI and hyperintense in STIR. Post-contrast shows subtle enhancement of a few of the bony lesions and subtle area of extra-osseous soft tissue component.
4 months later X-ray right foot: Increasing ill-defined osteolytic lesions involving all the bones of the foot.
CT lower limbs: Multiple small well and ill-defined lytic areas in the bilateral femoral and tibial condyles and patella.
CT-guided biopsy reveal diffuse large B-cell lymphoma.
CT neck, chest, abdomen and pelvis are negative for any primary mass lesions or lymphadenopathy.
Primary lymphoma of the bone is a rare extranodal presentation of non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma.
It accounts for approximately 3% of malignant bone neoplasms and comprises less than 5% of all extranodal non-Hodgkin’s lymphomas.
Multifocal large B-cell lymphoma is the most common subtype of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. [1]
It is a very fast-growing and aggressive disease.
It is more common in middle-aged men and in Caucasians.
Primary lymphoma of bone manifests with insidious and intermittent bone pain that can persist for months.
Patients can also have what are classically called "B symptoms" which include fever, night sweats and weight loss. [2]
The radiological appearance of bone lymphoma is variable and nonspecific.
It varies from focal lytic lesions with geographic margins to mixed sclerotic/lytic lesions to diffuse permeative processes with cortical destruction and soft tissue involvement. [1]
Permeative or moth-eaten appearance in metadiaphysis is not unique to lymphoma and can be seen in osteosarcoma, metastasis or Ewing sarcoma.
CT is more sensitive than plain radiography for cortical breakthrough and soft tissue infiltration but its main role is in ruling out nodal disease or other soft tissue involvement in chest and abdomen.
MRI is a useful diagnostic tool to show uniform diffuse infiltration of the bone marrow. Demonstration of tumour spread beyond the bony cortex without disruption of the outline of the bone (wrap around sign) favours the diagnosis of lymphoma rather than metastasis or multiple myeloma. [3]
Bone lymphoma may be of relatively low SI on T2-WI due to high cellularity. [6]
PET-CT is helpful to show the enlarged lymph nodes and to show areas of increased metabolic activity that are not easily seen on a regular CT.
Biopsy is needed because definitive diagnosis is difficult when using imaging only.
Primary bone marrow diffuse large B-cell lymphoma is associated with poor prognosis but potentially curable with aggressive treatment, including rituximab-based therapies and stem cell transplantation. [4]
The overall 5-year survival rate is better than for most other primary osseous malignancies. For this reason, recognition of lymphoma as a possible cause for the described radiologic findings is important. [1, 5]
Multifocal large B-cell bone lymphoma
Based on the provided X-ray, CT, and MRI images, the following findings are observed:
Taking into account the patient’s clinical symptoms (night sweats, weight loss, bone pain, etc.) and imaging features, the following differential diagnoses are considered:
Considering the patient’s age, clinical symptoms (persistent bone pain, night sweats, weight loss as “B symptoms”), imaging features (multiple bone destructions with soft tissue involvement but lacking significant periosteal reaction), and histopathological evidence of CD20-positive diffuse large B-cell lymphoma, the most likely diagnosis is:
Primary Bone Lymphoma (Diffuse Large B-Cell Lymphoma).
Confirmation generally requires pathological examination (as done in this case), and exclusion of other causes to finalize the diagnosis.
Comprehensive treatment options for primary bone lymphoma (diffuse large B-cell lymphoma) include:
Since the patient’s bone structure has been compromised by the tumor, rehabilitation exercises should be planned with caution to avoid fracture risk. Exercise and rehabilitation suggestions should follow the FITT-VP principle:
Throughout this process, closely monitor changes in bone pain, joint function, and overall physical status. Adjust the treatment and rehabilitation schedule as needed. Any acute severe pain or newly emerging lesions should prompt immediate medical consultation.
Disclaimer: This report is a reference analysis and cannot replace an in-person consultation or professional medical opinion. Patients should combine clinical findings under the guidance of specialist physicians and a multidisciplinary team to develop individualized treatment and rehabilitation plans.
Multifocal large B-cell bone lymphoma