title: Synovial osteochondromatosis. A brief review.
abstract: An unusual clinical finding is presented with a brief review of the literature. Synovial osteochondromatosis is typically a benign process involving metaplasia of the synovial intima and the formation of cartilaginous nodules that may eventually become ossified. Synovial osteochondromatosis should always be considered as a differential diagnosis whenever a patient presents with pain, swelling, and loss of function at or around a joint. Chondrosarcoma has been misdiagnosed, leading to radical and unnecessary amputation, because synovial osteochondromatosis has not been considered. Alternatively, synovial osteochondromatosis may degenerate to or be associated with a malignant process. When radiographs or more sophisticated investigative procedures, such as magnetic resonance imaging, fail to provide a conclusive answer, histologic findings provide the definitive diagnosis.
authors.affiliation: Center for Sports Medicine, St Francis Memorial Hospital, San Francisco, CA.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Valmassy
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ferguson
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000843:Ankle Joint; D015838:Chondromatosis, Synovial / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011859:Radiography