Congenital Skeletal Anomalies

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Intro & Dysplasia Types - Bone Blueprint Basics

  • Skeletal Dysplasia: Intrinsic, generalized disorders of bone & cartilage growth. Affects "bone blueprint".
    • Examples: Achondroplasia (FGFR3), Osteogenesis Imperfecta (collagen defects).
  • Skeletal Dysostosis: Localized malformation of individual bones or groups.
    • Examples: Cleidocranial dysostosis, Polydactyly.
  • Radiological Approach:
    • Identify affected skeletal segment (epiphysis, metaphysis, diaphysis, spine).
    • Assess bone density, size, shape, modeling.
    • Note distribution (generalized vs. focal).
  • Key Distinction: Dysplasia = abnormal tissue; Dysostosis = abnormal bone shape/number.

Short-limb dwarfism with bowing of lower limbs

⭐ Achondroplasia: Most common non-lethal skeletal dysplasia. Caused by FGFR3 gene mutation, leading to impaired endochondral ossification & rhizomelic shortening.

Key Chondrodysplasias - Short Limb Tales

  • Achondroplasia: Most common non-lethal dysplasia. FGFR3 gene. Rhizomelic shortening.
    • Signs: Trident hand, lumbar lordosis, champagne glass pelvis, foramen magnum stenosis.
  • Thanatophoric Dysplasia: Most common lethal neonatal dysplasia. FGFR3 gene. Severe micromelia.
    • Signs: Cloverleaf skull (Kleeblattschädel), telephone receiver femurs, narrow thorax. Respiratory failure.
  • Pseudoachondroplasia: Normal at birth; manifests by age 2. COMP gene. Normal face.
    • Signs: Short limbs, waddling gait, ligamentous laxity, early osteoarthritis.
  • Diastrophic Dysplasia: SLC26A2 gene. Autosomal recessive.
    • Signs: Hitchhiker thumb, cauliflower ear, clubfoot, scoliosis.

Thanatophoric dysplasia: clinical and radiographic features

⭐ Achondroplasia: Impaired endochondral ossification; intramembranous ossification (skull vault, clavicles) is unaffected.

OI & Fibrous Dysplasia - Bone Matrix Mayhem

  • Osteogenesis Imperfecta (OI): Brittle Bones
    • Cause: Type I collagen defect (COL1A1/A2 genes).
    • Features: Blue sclera, fractures, hearing loss, dentinogenesis imperfecta.
    • X-ray: Osteopenia, multiple fractures (various healing stages), bowing, Wormian bones, codfish vertebrae.
    • 📌 BITE: Bones, I (eye), Teeth, Ear.
  • Fibrous Dysplasia (FD): Fibrous Bone
    • Cause: GNAS1 mutation → ↑cAMP → abnormal osteoblast differentiation.
    • X-ray: "Ground-glass" matrix, expansile lesions, shepherd’s crook deformity (femur), Rind sign.
    • Types: Monostotic, Polyostotic. McCune-Albright Syndrome (FD + café-au-lait spots + endocrinopathy). Fibrous dysplasia of radius and ulna

⭐ "Ground-glass" appearance on X-ray is a hallmark radiological sign of fibrous dysplasia, often described as a hazy or smoky pattern within the bone lesion without visible trabeculae.

Dysostoses & Spinal Defects - Segmental Slip-Ups

  • Dysostoses: Localized defects in bone development.
    • Cleidocranial Dysostosis:
      • AD, RUNX2 gene.
      • Hypoplastic/aplastic clavicles.
      • Wormian bones, delayed suture/fontanelle closure.
      • Dental anomalies (supernumerary teeth). Cleidocranial dysostosis: facial, chest, and teeth
  • Congenital Spinal Defects:
    • Klippel-Feil Syndrome:
      • Congenital fusion of ≥2 cervical vertebrae.
      • 📌 Triad: Short neck, low posterior hairline, restricted neck motion.
      • Associated: Sprengel's, scoliosis, renal/cardiac issues.
    • Hemivertebrae:
      • Failure of formation of one side of vertebral body.
      • Common cause of congenital scoliosis/kyphosis.
      • Types: Segmented, semi-, non-segmented.
    • Spina Bifida:
      • Occulta: Arch defect, skin marker (hair tuft).
      • Cystica: Meningocele, Myelomeningocele (neural tissue).

⭐ In Klippel-Feil syndrome, C2-C3 is the most common level of fusion.

High‑Yield Points - ⚡ Biggest Takeaways

  • Achondroplasia: Most common non-lethal dysplasia; FGFR3 mutation, rhizomelia, trident hand, champagne glass pelvis.
  • Osteogenesis Imperfecta: Brittle bones; COL1A1/A2 mutations, blue sclera, recurrent fractures, wormian bones.
  • Osteopetrosis: Marble bone disease; defective osteoclasts, dense bones, fractures, Erlenmeyer flask deformity.
  • Cleidocranial Dysplasia: Absent/hypoplastic clavicles, wormian bones, delayed fontanelle closure, RUNX2 gene.
  • Klippel-Feil Syndrome: Congenital fusion of cervical vertebrae, short neck, low posterior hairline.
  • Marfan Syndrome: FBN1 gene; tall stature, arachnodactyly, aortic root dilatation.
  • Down Syndrome: Atlantoaxial instability, flared iliac wings, eleven pairs of ribs.

Practice Questions: Congenital Skeletal Anomalies

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Flashcards: Congenital Skeletal Anomalies

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