Melorheostosis With Uniform Rib Thickening

Abstract

Abstract A 16-year-old girl presented with left chest pain. Radiography and CT revealed localized abnormal calcification in the left sixth rib and sixth thoracic vertebra. Bone scintigraphy confirmed abnormal uptake of 99mTc in the same area. An open biopsy of the sixth rib was performed, leading to the diagnosis of melorheostosis. This case showed uniformly thickened calcification throughout the rib, unlike the typical “dripping candle wax” radiography finding associated with melorheostosis. This case implies the importance of open biopsy for diagnostic confirmation in cases with atypical imaging features.