Enlargement of the thigh and osteoblastic lesion in a young man

IMAGES
Enlargement of the thigh and osteoblastic lesion
in a young man
VALENTINA FERNÁNDEZ LADRÓN, CRISTINA GARCÍA LABAIRU, RAQUEL ALFARO MARTÍNEZ,
ANTONIO OLIVÁN BALLABRIGA
Servicio de Medicina Interna. Hospital de Navarra. Pamplona, Spain.
A 30 year-old Ecuadorian man with no relevant
medical history consulted for pain in the left leg
during several months without improvement after
treatment with anti-inflammatory agents. On examination, we observed a significant increase in
the diameter of the left thigh, with anterior protrusion and collateral circulation (Figure 1), without tenderness on palpation. Left femur X-ray
showed a large sclerotic lesion in the distal metaphyseal region, with destruction of the cortex, extending to the soft tissue (Figure 1). Chest X-ray
showed multiple pulmonary nodules of various
sizes. Given these findings, the suspected diagnosis was osteosarcoma, and subsequent bone biopsy confirmed the diagnosis. Chemotherapy was
initiated.
Figura 1. Image of the patient's left thigh (left), anteroposterior X-ray (center) and lateral X-ray (right) of the femur.
CORRESPONDENCE: Dra. Valentina Fernández Ladrón. Servicio de Medicina Interna. Hospital de Navarra. Irunlarrea, s/n.
31008 Pamplona. Navarra, Spain. E-mail: fernandezvalentina@hotmail.com
RECEIVED: 31-3-2009. ACCEPTED: 1-4-2009.
CONFLICT OF INTEREST: None.
Emergencias 2010; 22: 395
395