Postgastrectomy osteomalacia with pseudofractures assessed by repeated bone scintigraphy

Abstract

A patient with osteomalacia secondary to vitamin D deficiency after gastrectomy for gastric cancer is presented. Initial bone scintigrams showed both asymmetric and symmetric focal areas of intense uptake due to pseudofractures reminiscent of bone metastases. Radiographs only confirmed the presence of pseudofractures at some, but not all, of the abnormal sites demonstrated by bone scintigraphy. At first, metastatic bone disease was suspected. However, the appearance of repeated bone scintigram was normalized after treatment with vitamin D. A diagnosis of osteomalacia was established. The present case serves to illustrate that symmetric focal lesions are important features of pseudofractures secondary to osteomalacia, and comparison with radiographs and repeated bone scintigraphy are necessary in distinguishing between bone metastases and pseudofractures.