title: Ivory vertebra and systemic mastocytosis.
abstract: The ivory vertebra sign seen on a standard radiograph of the spine should prompt investigations for a cause, which is most likely to be a bone metastasis, a lymphoma, or Paget's disease of bone. A diagnosis of idiopathic ivory vertebra can be given if no cause is identified. We report an unusual case of ivory vertebra sign that was due to systemic mastocytosis and improved with specific treatment. Although osteoporosis is the most common bone abnormality in systemic mastocytosis, an isolated sclerotic or lytic lesion may be found. The ivory vertebra sign should not be considered idiopathic until tests are done for mastocytosis, particularly given the availability of effective treatments.
authors.affiliation: Service d'hématologie adulte, centre de référence des mastocytoses, hôpital Necker-Enfants-Malades, 149, rue de Sèvres, 75743 Paris cedex 15, France. laurent.frenzel@nck.aphp.fr
authors.forename: Laurent
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Frenzel
authors.forename: Felipe
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Suarez
authors.forename: Marie-Olivia
authors.initials: MO
authors.lastname: Chandesris
authors.forename: Olivier
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Hermine
mesh_terms: D001416:Back Pain / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000209:etiology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D034721:Mastocytosis, Systemic / Q000150:complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D008875:Middle Aged; D013125:Spinal Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000209:etiology; D013904:Thoracic Vertebrae / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed