Heterotopic ossification on X-ray: 5 real cases
Real, openly licensed radiographs showing heterotopic ossification. Study what to look for, then open each case and read it yourself before revealing the answer.
What to look for
- Mature bone forming in soft tissues, often around the hip after surgery or trauma, or after neurological injury.
- Matures from the periphery inwards, giving a well-defined cortical rim (compare with the central ossification of osteosarcoma).
- Separate from the underlying bone or only loosely attached.
Quiz yourself on bone & joint disease images
Cases
Case #131783827Bone & joint disease · Intermediate
Case #2689165Bone & joint disease · Intermediate
Case #2689170Bone & joint disease · Intermediate
Case #2993048Bone & joint disease · Intermediate
Case #2993055Bone & joint disease · IntermediateOther bone & joint disease diagnoses
- Avascular necrosis of the femoral head
- Bone metastases
- Enchondroma
- Freiberg disease
- Gout
- Hallux rigidus (first MTP osteoarthritis)
- Hallux valgus (bunion)
- Knee osteoarthritis
- Multiple myeloma
- Neuropathic (Charcot) arthropathy
- Non-ossifying fibroma
- Osteoarthritis
- Osteochondroma (exostosis)
- Osteoma
- Osteomyelitis
- Osteoporosis
- Rheumatoid arthritis
- Synovial chondromatosis
Diagnoses come from each image's documented source. Credits and licences are shown on each case and on the image credits page.