IDCases (Jan 2023)

Bad to the bone. Not all bone tumors are cancer: Case of long bone osteomyelitis

  • Tat W. Yau,
  • Bennet D. Franz,
  • Hanadi A. Osman,
  • Jessica C. Rivera,
  • Ashaur Azhar

Journal volume & issue
Vol. 34
p. e01897

Abstract

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Long bone osteomyelitis could mimic bony tumor in clinical presentation and imaging studies. We present a case of a 47-year man who presented with leg pain, weight loss and night sweats that initially was thought to be related to osteosarcoma, later suffered a pathologic fracture from Staphylococcus aureus osteomyelitis. This case highlights the importance of source control of infection and careful clinical evaluation including radiographic and pathologic findings that can help physicians to differentiate between competing diagnoses.

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