Bone pathology Flashcards
Bone Intercellular Signals
Receptor Activator of NF-KappaB Ligand (RANKL)
- Expressed on Osteoblasts
- Upregulated by PTH, vitamin D3, some malignancies
- Binds to RANK (TNF family) on Osteoclasts and precursors to activate them
- Function inhibited by Osteoprotegrin (OPG); TNF family: binds to RANKL acting as a decoy preventing RANK-RANKL interaction.
- osteoporosis -> decr in OPG production

Osteoporosis: Metabolic Bone Disease -> Abnormal bone modeling/remodeling
- *Gross:**
- widened Haversian canals in cortex
- compression fracture: Horizontal bone thinned out (red);
- Vertical bone thickened
- *Structural**
- distal radius -> Colle’s fractures
- femur and hip
- *Microscopic:**
- nl bone (left)
- osteoprosis (right)
- disappearance of trabecular bone aka spongy bone
EtioPathogenesis: Primary Osteoporosis
- Postmenopausal, 2, Aging, 3, Physical activity decr
- decr serum estrogen -> incr. IL-1, IL-6, and TNF -> incr RANK expression -> incr osteoclast activity and decr activity of osteoblasts
Etiopath of Secondary Osteoporosis
- Endocrine
- Hyperparathyroidism
- Hyperthyroidism, Diabetes Type I, Addison’s disease, Pituitary tumors, vit D allele variation
- Neoplasia: Carcinomatosis, multiple myeloma, paraneoplastic disease
- Gastrointestinal: Malnutrition, hepatic insufficiency, vitamin D or C deficiency, malabsorption
- Drugs: Chemotherapy, corticosteroids (nl serum Ca2+ levels), alcohol
- Immobilization
Dx: XRay & DEXA scan


HyperPTH leading to 2o osteoporosis
- incr PTH -> osteoblast stim -> incr RANKL -> osteoclast activity
- Osteoclastic tunneling
- 2 types
Osteitis fibrosa cystica: Brown tumour (Gross image)
- microfractures -> neovascularisation, hemorrhages, giant cell-like tumours
- hemosiderin deposits
- ribs, diaphyses of long bones, fingers
- *Osteitis dissectans (microscopic image)**
- Osteoclastic tunneling
- splitting like railroid tracks
Etiology
Increased PTH resulting in increased osteoclast activity.
1° - adenoma – high Ca, low PO43-
2° - renal failure – low Ca, high PO43- (opposite levels vs 1o)
3° - initially secondary cause that turned primary due to cellular adaptive change
Sx: Stones, Bones, Moans
- Renal stones due to nephrocalcinosis
- Bone density decreased
- Psychiatric sx
- Groans: abdominal problems such as anorexia, constipation, and ulcers
- *C&C:**
- metastatic calcifications: kidney, lungs, and stomch

Renal Osteodystrophy
- Chronic renal failure → hyperphosphatemia →
- Hypocalcemia → Secondary incr PTH
- Reason for Hypocalcemia
- Decreased vitamin D metabolism in kidney (inhibition of conversion of vitamin D to active metabolites by phosphate)
- Diminished intestinal absorption of vitamin D
- Iron and aluminum accumulation in bone (from dialysate) prevents further bone deposition
- incr PTH → incr Osteoclastic activity → incr Bone resorption
- decr Matrix mineralization (osteomalacia)
- Osteoporosis
- Growth retardation

Vitamin D Deficiency: Osteomalacia & Rickets
- Defective mineralization of osteoid
- Malnutrition, malabsorption, receptor abnormalities, lack of sun exposure
- Under-mineralized matrix
- – Persistent hyaline cartilage
- – Fractures, skeletal deformity
- *Microscopic:** Abnormal mineralization
- mineralized osteiod (black)
- un-mineralized osteiod (pink)
- *Etiopath:**
- Vit D deficiency leading to diminished bone density
- Vit D deficiency in Adults from malnutrition, decr sun exposure, renal and liver disease
Sx Children: bowed legs, pigeon breast, frontal bossing, rachitic rosary
Sx Adults: weak bone, easily fractured
- *Dx:**
- low serum Ca2+ and phosphates
- High PTH and Alkaline phosphatase (due to activation of osteoblasts to calcify in basic env)
Scurvy
Metabolic Bone Disease -> Abnormal matrix production
Etiopath: Vitamin C deficiency
Sx:
- Failed cross-linking of collagen
- Fragile capillaries and venules – Subperiosteal hemorrhages
- Defective osteoid synthesis – Microfractures
- Bony deformities

Paget’s Disease: Metabolic Bone Disease -> Abnormal bone modeling/remodeling
X-Ray
- Remodelling is focal -> enlarges bone
- lytic and sclerotic areas; too much osteoclastic or osteoblastic activity (haywire)
Gross:
- affects flat and long bones
- weaker so easily fractured
- red due to hypervascularity
Microscopic:
- haphazard cement lines -> mosaic pattern
Etiology
- More common in Caucasians
- Virally induced [Paramyxovirus (measles, RSV) - nucleocapsid antigens identified in osteoclasts) (Paramyxovirus- slow virus disease)
- Genetic predisposition: p62 mutation
- Enlarges in any bone -> larger hats
Pathogenesis
- localized (does not involve entire skeleton)
- defect in signalling bw osteoblasts and osteoclasts
- Virus stimulates IL-6
- IL-6 & M-CSF -> Activate osteoclasts
- Osteoclasts hyperresponsive to RANKL & vit. D
- p62 incr RANK/RANKL SIGNALLING incr Osteoclasts
- 3 Disease of stages -> sclerotic bone
- Osteolytic Stage: Osteoclastic activity- patchy, florid
- Mixed Lytic and Blastic Stage: Predominently Osteoblastic
- Osteosclerotic (burnt-out) Stage: End stage: incr bone mass; mosaic pattern
Sx: often Asx and incidental finding
- increasing hat size
- lion-like face
Diagnosis:
- X-ray: May be monostotic or polyostotic (multiple bones)
- ↑Serum Alkaline Phosphatase
- ↑ Urinary Hydroxyproline
- nl serum Ca2+ and phosphate
C&C:
- Deformities – Pain (compressed nerves)
- Fracture/Microfractures -> Pain
- Degenerative Joint Disease -> Pain
- hearing difficulties if ossicles affected
- Rarely:
- High-Output cardiac failure (osteoblastic phase) due to AV malformations from bone remodeling leading to shunting
- 2o osteosarcoma

Achondroplasia
Achondroplasia aka disportionate dwarfism
- bow leg
- Shortened limbs and ribs
- Normal head, IQ, reproductive system and life expectancy
- *Etiopath:**
- AD FGFR3 mutation leading to constituitively active FGFR3 signaling lead to decr endocondral ossification (cartilage development)
- sporadic mutation commonly
- Disordered proliferation of chondrocytes in cartilage anlage and growth plate
- – decr Proliferation
- – decr hypertrophy
- – Incomplete endochondral ossification
- *Dx**
- clinical presentation
- prenatal US measurements
C&C: gibbus deformity

Osteogenesis Imperfecta
X-ray: every bone has fractures (hyperdense areas showing callous formations)
Etiopath:
- deficiencies in type I collagen synthesis due to AD COL1A1 and COL1A2 mutations
- Most commonly recognized congenital disease affecting collagen production
- Multiple clinicopathological subtypes
Sx:
- Involves bone matrix and other connective tissues with type 1 collagen: joints, eyes (blue sclera), skin, ears, teeth
- blue sclera due defective collagen in eyes -> shows the choroidal vv

Ehler-Danlos Syndrome
- Hetrogenous group of CT disorders, recently classified in diff types
- lysyl hydroxylase def. or collagen synthesis dysfunction
Sx:
- Hyperextensibility of skin, easy bruising, hypermobile joints,
- Aortic dissection;
- blue sclerae may be present
- Bone is osteopenic, kyphoscoliosis, spondolisthesis
Marfan’s Syndrome
Heterogeneous group of inherited (AD) CT disorder affecting bones, heart, aorta and eyes
Etiopath: Mutation in locus of fibrillin gene on chromosome 15
Sx:
- Usually tall with exceptionally long extremities, and long tapering fingers and toes
- Hyperflexible joints, kyphosis, scoliosis, pectus excavatum
- Eyes: subluxation of lens – ectopia lentis
- CVS: Mitral valve prolapse, Aortic dilatation due to cystic medial necrosis – AR; Aortic dissection, dissection also common in kidney and coronary aa
Acute osteomyelitis
Xray: mix lytic and sclerotic areas in bone
- *Microscopic:**
- pus and necrotic debris
- enlarged Haversian canals
Acute osteomyeltis features
- Usually Bacterial but No organism isolated in 50%.
- S. aureus (80-90%) – receptors for bone matrix components e.g. collagen
- Gram -ve rods (E. coli, Klebsiella, Pseudomonas) – Genitourinary (GU infection), IV drug abuse
- Mixed bacterial (direct inoculation)
- H. influenza (neonates)
- GBS (neonates)
- Salmonella (sickle cell disease)
Epidemiology
- Young, growing children
- Adults (> 50 years)
- Gender M:F = 2:1
- Typical presentation: young boy presenting w hot, swollen leg
- Acute Osteomyelitis is worse in infants and young children
- Location
- Long tubular bones (femur, tibia, humerus)
- Vertebral bodies
- Predisposing factors: catheter, trauma, infection, underlying disease, IV drug abuse
Pathogenesis
- Acute inflammation
- Bone necrosis
- Subperiosteal abscess
- Progressive ischemia leads to segmental bone necrosis (sequestrum) surrounded by viable new bone (involucrum) formation
- Draining sinus tracts
- Extension into joint space
Sx:
- bone pain w fever and leukoctyosis
- lytic focus surrounded by sclerosis on XRay
Dx: Blood culture
Rx
- Treat early
- IV antibiotics 4-6 weeks
- Exception: Children with hematogenous spread
- Oral therapy if organism is susceptible
- Good compliance
- Rapid response
- Exception: Children with hematogenous spread
- Consider surgical debridement


Osteopetrosis (stone-like bones) aka marble bone disease
X-rays: Bones lack medullary canal
- Increased bone density (hyperdense on Xray)
- Bulbous misshapen (distorted) ends of long bones -> ERLENMEYER’S FLASK DEFORMITY
- Diffuse symmetrical skeletal sclerosis
Microscopic: Medullary cavity abnormally filled with primary spongiosa and no hematopoietic elements
Etiopath:
- defective osteoclast-mediated bone resorption.
- Several variants with the most common
- AD adult form with mild clinical manifestations,
- AR infantile, with a severe/lethal phenotype
- Can arise due to:
- Brittle bone disease
- Dysfunction of 1. Carbonic Anhydrase (CA II), 2. Proton pump, 3. Chloride channel
- Inability of osteoclasts to degrade pre-existing cartilage and bone.
- Persistence of cartilage anlage (primary spongiosum) in medullary cavity.
- Progressive deposition of bone on pre- existing matrix without osteoclastic activity (or without osteoclasts)
Sx:
- Bones are abnormally brittle and fracture
- Structural changes in spine -> more bone to disc material.
- Thickening of skull -> narrowing of foramina
- Hepatosplenomegaly from extramedullary hematopoiesis (EMH) & pancytopenia
- vision and hearing impairments
- hydrocephalus
- Renal Tubular Acidosis (RTA) due to CA deficiency
C&C
- Cranial n. palsies due to nerve compression (carpal tunnel and cranial nerve deficits ex. Bell’s palsy, hearing and vision loss)
- Pancytopenia due spongiosa taking over medulla and decreasing hematopoietic cells.
- Recurrent infections due to reduced marrow size.
Chronic Osteomyelitis
5-25% of Acute Osteomyelitis do not resolve -> Chronic Osteomyelitis
- – Delay in diagnosis
- – Inappropriate treatment:
- Inappropriate antibiotics
- Therapy is too short
- – Inadequate surgical debridement – extensive necrosis
- – Underlying medical condition (eg. diabetes)
Pathogenesis:
- – Chronic inflammation
- – Resorption of dead bone
- – Deposition of woven bone
C&C
- Brodie abscess: Intracortical abscess
- Sclerosing OM of Garré: Jaw - extensive new bone obscuring the underlying bone
- Recurrent acute exacerbations
- Pathologic fracture
- Secondary amyloidosis
- Endocarditis
- Sepsis
- Septic Arthritis
- Rarely, malignant complications
- – Squamous cell carcinoma of fistula tract
- – Sarcoma of infected bone

Tb osteomyelitis (Pott’s fracture)
Morphology:
- caseous granulomatous inflammation instead of abscess (other bacterial)
- destruction of vertebrae and IV
- can also affect hips and knees
Etiopath:
- 1-3% of patients with pulmonary TB
- Immunocompetent or compromised
- Location: Spine (Pott’s spine) > knees > hips
- Burrowing abscesses with caseating granulomas and calcification
Skeletal Tb
- Very Destructive
- Spreads through medullary cavity causing extensive caseous necrosis
- Extends thru IV discs involving multiple bones
- Difficult to control
C&C:
- kyphosis -> Gibbus deformity
- spinal cord compression

Osteoarthritis: non-inflammatory arthritis
Morphology
Xray:
- Changes in Wt. bearing cartilage & bones
- Arrows indicate osteophytes; Repair response: Fibrocartilage grows over articular cartilage from periphery → Osteophytes
- Radio-lucent = subchondral sclerosis
- Radio-dense area = subchondral cysts (synovial fluid forced into subchondral microfractures in a ball-valve manner)
Microscopic: Fibrillation & Vertical Cracking indicating joint degeneration
- Eburnation & erosion
- cartilage thinning
- exposure of subchondral bone and remodelling
- ivory appearance of bone
- Arrows 1: eburnation
- Arrows 2: subencondral cysts
- Arrows 3: nl/what it should look like
Primary
– Aging phenomenon; Most common form of arthritis
– Oligoarticular: hands, hips, knees, metatarsophalangeal joints
– 80-95% of people over 65 years
- Risk factors
- Female sex
- Obesity
- Hereditary
Secondary
– Younger patients
– Predisposition
- Diabetes
- Hemachromatosis
- Ochronosis: alkaptonuria due to Homogentisate oxidase def.; exam q
- Obesity
- Congenital deformity
– Polyarticular
– Severe
- Risk factors
- – Trauma
- – Neuromuscular dysfunction
- – Metabolic disorders
Etiology
- Changes in components of articular cartilage
- – Altered proteoglycans
- – Diminished pliability of collagen
- Changes in chondrocytes
- – IL-1 and TNF-a break down matrix
- – Inhibit type II collagen synthesis
- Other changes: Non-inflammatory with some signs of signalling from:
- – Proinflammatory cytokines
- – Inflammatory cells
Pathogenesis
- Degenerative disease of cartilage (chondrocytes and matrix) but NO JOINT FUSION; Central destruction
- – Direct injury
- – decr Synthesis
- – incr Enzymatic breakdown:
- MMP breakdown Proteoglycans (PG) (stromelysins) & collagen (collagenases)
- Metalloproteinases are regulated by cytokines (IL-1 and TNF)
- Genetic predisposition (cartilage abnormalities) -?collagen genes mutations
- Injury & repair of the subchondral bone and/or synovium (secondary to cartilage degeneration) leading to:
- Chondrocyte proliferation- “cloning”
- incr water related to decr proteoglycan content (chondromalacia- softening)
- Type II collagen: decr synthesis and incr breakdown
Sx:
- 1st Carpometacarpal joint – most commonly affected joint in hand (subluxation, ”squaring”)
- Haberden’s nodes - DIP
- Bouchards’s nodes – PIP
- Unilateral (typically) but can be bilateral
C&C:
- spinal stenosis
- cervical spondylsis


Rheumatoid Arthritis
Morphology:
Clinical and Xray
- Joint space - narrowed with pannus (fibrosing ankylosis)
- Eventually ossifies (bony ankylosis)
- Inflammation of adjacent tendons, ligaments, and muscle
Microscopic
- Papillary Synovial Hyperplasia
- Bulbous fronds
- synovium filled with inflammatory cells (lymphocytes, macrophages) and rice bodies made of fibrin and neutrophils (slide 15 not shown)
- Pannus formation: overgrowth of synovium (below); pannus fibrosis -> bone metastasis -> fusion of joints -> ankylosis
Xray: showing ankylosis
Etiology
- polyarthritis: pain, inflammation, swelling, autoimmune destruction (auto-Ab RF, ACPA)
- Prevalence estimated at ~0.5 - 1%
- Female:male ratio = 2.5:1
- Genetic predisposition assoc HLA-DR4 locus
- Environmental triggers: smoking, infections (EBV, E. coli), stress
Pathogenesis
- Subarticular Osteoporosis; Peripheral destruction
- Incr Osteoclastic activity (due to incr RANKL produced by activated T cells and synovial fibroblasts) -> Subchondral cysts, Osteoporosis (localized and systemic)
- Activation of macrophages & B-cells
- Antibodies against self-antigens in the joint (Autoantibodies = Rheumatoid Factor)
IgM directed against IgG (IgG bind the Fc portions of IgG)
- Inflammation, cytokines, TNF, antibodies –> destruction of joint
Sx
- Symmetrical arthritis, typically of the hands and feet, also often involving ankles, knees, wrists, elbows and shoulders
- MCP & PIP but NOT DIP
- knees involved but NOT hip
- Z-deformity of thumb
- ulnar deviation of digits due to myofibroblasts contraction (part of pannus)
- thenar atrophy from CTS
- Swan-neck deformity
- Boutonniere deformity
- Joint destruction occurs early and is a marker for disease progression
- Rheumatoid nodules (25% of Pt) characterized by central area of necrosis w epithelioid histiocytes
- Skin subject to pressure - ulnar aspect of forearm, occiput, lumbosacral area
- Non-tender firm nodule in subcutaneous fat
- Also develop in Joints, Tendons, Soft Tissue, Lung, Heart (peri-, myo-, endocardium), Aorta, Spleen, Viscera
- fever, malaise, weight loss, and myalgias
Assoc disorders
- Soft tissue- Rheumatoid nodules
- Lung involvement
- Vasculitis
- Uveitis: Usually in juvenile RA
- incr risk of lymphoma
Dx
- X-ray
- anti-CCP Ab
- anti-RF Ab
C&C
- RA is a systemic disease w a course of symmetric arthritis and Chronic papillary synovitis
- End-stage lung disease
- Vasculitis & its complications
- – Myocardial infarction, cerebrovascular disease, renal failure, pleural effusions, mesenteric and intestinal infarction, gangrene
- Systemic amyloidosis
- Anemia of chronic disease
- Baker cysts behind knee
- Iatrogenic effects of Tx- Immunosuppression
- Life Expectancy decr by 3-7 yrs

Differences: OA vs RA
- Morning stiffness: morning stiffness longer for RA
- Activity: RA better with activity
- Joint distribution
- OA: weight bearing joints and PIP & DIP
- RA: wrist /MCP/PIP
- RA is systemic disease - fever, weight loss
- OA has reparative activity and new bone formation – osteophytes, subchondral sclerosis
- RA - No reparative bone formation - periarticular osteopenia
Gout
Etiopath
- Peak in 5th decade
- Linked to duration of hyperuricemia (20-30 years)
- Hyperuricemia
- 1o: genetic predisposition
- 2o: increased nucleic acid turnover
- poor renal fx is most common
- leukemia and myeloproliferative disorders, Lesch-Nyhan syndrom, alcohol, obesity, drugs, purine rich diet
Chronic destructive process of multiple joints
- Incite inflammatory response
- Bone and joint destruction
- May ulcerate skin
Seronegative Spondyloarthropathies
- Heterogeneous group of diseases
- Arthritis one of several manifestations
- In part, immune mediated
- Similar, but milder disease than rheumatoid arthritis
- axial skeleton involvement
- **HLA-B27 associated **
Pathogenesis
- Chronic synovitis
- Destruction of articular cartilage and subchondral bone
- Fibrosis and narrowing of joint space (fibrosing ankylosis)*
- Ossification of fibrous tissue (bony ankylosis)*
- Enthesis affecting joint motility
- *Most common is ankylosing spondylitis affecting sacroiliac joints and spine
C&C (Pathoma):
- uveitis
- Aortitis and Aortic regurg
Infectious Arthritis
- Extension from osteomyelitis
- Hematogenous seeding
- Bacteria commonly: Rapid joint destruction
- N. Gonnococcus (adults):
- Presentation: sexual active Pt w hot, swollen joint
- S. Aureus (children and adults)
- Mycobacteria
- Borrelia (Lyme disease)
- N. Gonnococcus (adults):
- Viral: Parvovirus B19
Sx
- involves a single joint usually knee
- warm, erythematous joint w limited range of motion
- fever, increased WBC
Bone tumours: General principles
- Most common malignant tumor is a METASTASIS from another site:
Common Primary sites:
- B (breast)
- L (lung)
- T (thyroid)
- – and
- Kosher(kidney)
- Pickle (prostate): produce osteoblastic lesions whereas the rest produce osteolytic lesions
Bone Tumours by location
Diaphysis:
- Ewing’s Sarcoma
- Adamantinoma
Metaphysis
- Osteosarcoma
- Chondrosarcoma
- Osteochondroma
- Aneurysmal Bone Cyst Enchondroma
Epiphysis
- Chondroblastoma
- Giant Cell Tumor
Osteoid Osteoma
- Benign Bone Forming Tumor of osteoblast affecting young adults
- Male predilection
- Presentation (typical):
- Predilection for appendicular skeleton/cortex of long bone diaphysis
- Classic clinical presentation: young male w Nocturnal bone pain alleviated by aspirin
- **Dx: **bony mass w radiolucent (osteoid) core







