An osseous lesion in a 10-year-old boy with Hodgkin's lymphoma: a case report

Abstract

Introduction: Osseous involvement of Hodgkin's lymphoma is uncommon. When osteolytic lesions are seen on imaging it is important to evaluate potential other causes.

Case presentation: We report the case of a 10-year-old Caucasian boy who presented to our facility with a bony lesion of the right clavicle and enlarged cervical lymph nodes. A simultaneous biopsy of the lymph node and of the osteolytic process of his right proximal clavicle was performed and revealed two different kinds of lesions: a mixed cellularity Hodgkin's lymphoma and an osteochondroma.

Conclusions: Since the latter is a common benign bone tumor, which should not interfere with the staging of the lymphoma, we emphasize the importance of ensuring that all efforts are made to acquire a diagnostic biopsy of all atypical lesions.

Figure 1

Computed tomography scan showing an osteolytic process with periosteal reaction of the right proximal clavicle.

Figure 2

Irregular fragment of a bone lesion showing cartilaginous cup and exophytic bone (hematoxylin and eosin staining, magnification ×250).