Skip to main content

Advertisement

Log in

Co-occurrence of subchondral insufficiency fracture of the femoral head and contralateral femoral neck fracture in a rheumatic patient receiving steroid treatment

  • Case Report
  • Published:
Modern Rheumatology

Abstract

We describe a 79-year-old woman with rheumatoid arthritis who suffered from subchondral insufficiency fracture of the femoral head (SIF) and contralateral femoral neck fracture. Radiographs obtained two months after the onset of thigh pain showed collapse of the right femoral head and contralateral femoral neck fracture. MRI revealed a subchondral serpiginous low-intensity band in the right femoral head on the T2-weighted image. This case report suggests that SIF should be considered in the differential diagnoses of rheumatic patients who suffer from thigh pain without antecedent trauma.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Fig. 1

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Yamamoto T, Bullough PG. Subchondral insufficiency fracture of the femoral head: a differential diagnosis in acute onset of coxarthrosis in the elderly. Arthritis Rheum. 1999;42:2719–23.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  2. Yamamoto T, Schneider R, Bullough PG. Subchondral insufficiency fracture of the femoral head: histopathologic correlation with MRI. Skeletal Radiol. 2001;30:247–54.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  3. Steinbrocker O, Traeger C, Batterman RC. Therapeutic criteria in rheumatoid arthritis. JAMA. 1949;140:659–62.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  4. Orimo H, Hayashi Y, Fukunaga M, Sone T, Fujiwara S, Shiraki M, et al. Diagnostic criteria for primary osteoporosis: year 2000 revision. J Bone Miner Metab. 2001;19:331–7.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  5. Singh M, Nagrath AR, Maini PS. Changes in trabecular pattern of the upper end of the femur as an index of osteoporosis. J Bone Joint Surg Am. 1970;52:457–67.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  6. Bullough PG. Osteonecrosis and bone infarction. In: Bullough PG, editor. Orthopaedic pathology. Edinburgh: Mosby; 2004. p. 347–62.

    Google Scholar 

  7. Sakamoto M, Shimizu K, Iida S, Akita T, Moriya H, Nawata Y. Osteonecrosis of the femoral head: a prospective study with MRI. J Bone Joint Surg Br. 1997;79:213–9.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  8. Sledge C. The hip. In: Harris ED Jr et al., editor. Kelley’s textbook of rheumatology. Philadelphia: Elsevier Saunders; 2005, pp 1876–89.

  9. Huusko TM, Korpela M, Karppi P, Avikainen V, Kautiainen H, Sulkava R. Threefold increased risk of hip fractures with rheumatoid arthritis in Central Finland. Ann Rheum Dis. 2001;60:521–2.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  10. Nawata H, Soen S, Takayanagi R, Tanaka I, Takaoka K, Fukunaga M, et al. Guidelines on the management and treatment of glucocorticoid-induced osteoporosis of the Japanese Society for Bone and Mineral Research (2004). J Bone Miner Metab. 2005;23:105–9.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  11. Nicholas JJ, Haidet E, Helfrich D, Herndon JH, Cooperstein L. Groin and hip pain due to fractures at or near the pubic symphysis. Arch Phys Med Rehabil. 1989;70:696–8.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  12. Hoshino Y, Doita M, Yoshikawa M, Hirayama K, Sha N, Kurosaka M. Unstable pelvic insufficiency fracture in a patient with rheumatoid arthritis. Rheumatol Int. 2004;24:46–9.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  13. Kiuru MJ, Pihlajamaki HK, Hietanen HJ, Ahovuo JA. MR imaging, bone scintigraphy, and radiography in bone stress injuries of the pelvis and the lower extremity. Acta Radiol. 2002;43:207–12.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  14. Kiuru MJ, Pihlajamaki HK, Ahovuo JA. Fatigue stress injuries of the pelvic bones and proximal femur: evaluation with MR imaging. Eur Radiol. 2003;13:605–11.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

This research was supported by research funds to promote the hospital functions of Japan Labour Health and Welfare Organization and a Grant of Japan Orthopaedics and Traumatology Foundation, Inc. (No. 0165).

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Keita Miyanishi.

About this article

Cite this article

Miyanishi, K., Hara, T., Hamada, T. et al. Co-occurrence of subchondral insufficiency fracture of the femoral head and contralateral femoral neck fracture in a rheumatic patient receiving steroid treatment. Mod Rheumatol 18, 619–622 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10165-008-0093-5

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10165-008-0093-5

Keywords

Navigation