Enostosis: what is it?

In the vast majority of cases, the development of "bone islets" is not accompanied by any clinical manifestations.It is possible to detect such altered areas only during a radionuclide or radiological study.Often, the doctor appoints the patient diagnostic procedures, not suspecting the presence of enostoses.Sometimes the formation of growths is accompanied by pain syndrome.

Differential diagnostics are important to distinguish between enostoses from

• secondary foci for malignant tumors( metastasis),
• aseptic necrosis,
• sclerosing osteomyelitis.

The following may be involved:

• X-ray;
• MRI;
• CT examination.

Treatment of the enostosis

When osteoma is detected, specific therapy is usually not prescribed, as these neoplasms alone do not pose a threat to the health of the patient and do not cause him anxiety.Bone nodules may increase in size over time, but this happens very slowly.

If the enostosis causes pain, is in the functional formation zone, is actively growing or has already reached considerable dimensions, the patient is shown an operation in which the neoplasm is resected within the healthy tissues, i.e., with the site of the unmodified bone plate.

When the identified "bone islands" are one of the manifestations of a pathology, the main disease is treated.Parallel development of osteoma with ostias and periostrosis is not excluded.When diagnosing a physician, it is necessary to take into account the totality of all clinical symptoms and data obtained during the X-ray study.

Alexander Lotin, radiologist,