title: Acute lymphoblastic leukaemia presenting with low back pain.
abstract: We report a 13-year-old boy with a 3-month history of low back pain following a mild trauma. Extensive osteoporosis and vertebral collapses were seen on conventional X-ray and computed tomography scan. Laboratory findings were non-specific. Bone marrow infiltration was observed on magnetic resonance imaging, suggesting a myeloproliferative disorder. Although not diagnostic, marrow infiltration in a child with osteoporosis should raise the suspicion of leukaemia.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, University Hospitals Leuven, Herestraat 49, B-3000 Leuven, Belgium.
authors.forename: Roel
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Beckers
authors.forename: Anne
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Uyttebroeck
authors.forename: Philippe
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Demaerel
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D001853:Bone Marrow / Q000473:pathology; D002051:Burkitt Lymphoma / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D006801:Humans; D017116:Low Back Pain / Q000209:etiology* / Q000473:pathology; D008159:Lumbar Vertebrae / Q000473:pathology; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D013904:Thoracic Vertebrae / Q000473:pathology; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed