Bone lesions and articular manifestations in hematological malignancies.

Bone and joint involvements are frequently observed in various hematological malignancies (HM). Aim of the study was to quantify the incidence of radiological bone lesions and clinically relevant articular manifestations in our series of HM, observed in 1980-95. Clinical charts and skeletal X-ray and/or scintigraphic imagings of 1076 cases, 695 M and 381 F, aged 16-89, were reviewed in order to disclose any bone and joint involvement. Table reports results. Since bone is the location in adults of hematopoietic tissue, it is very easy that the HM which arise or invade bone marrow give a bone involvement; this is histologically constant, but clinically and radiogically less frequent. Joint involvement is due mainly to direct infiltration by the neoplastic cells, and sometime by paraneoplastic syndrome. The bone lesions and the articular symptoms vary according to the type and to the stage of malignancy. The knowledge of these possible involvements in the bones and in the joints could be useful for a precocious diagnosis and their eradication results in a better effectiveness of treatment.