title: A probable case of Hand-Schueller-Christian's disease in an Egyptian mummy revealed by CT and MR investigation of a dry mummy.
abstract: The challenging mission of paleopathologists is to be capable to diagnose a disease just on the basis of limited information gained by means of one or more paleodiagnostic techniques. In this study a radiologic, anthropologic and paleopathologic analysis of an ancient Egyptian mummy through X-rays, CT and MR was conducted. An Ancient Egyptian mummy ("Mistress of the house", Archeological Museum, Zagreb, Croatia) underwent digital radiography, computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging employing 3-dimensional ultra-short-echo time (UTE) sequence, that allows to image ancient dry tissue. Morphological observations on the skull and pelvis, the stages of epiphyseal union and dental wear indicated that the remains are those of a young adult male. Multiple osseous lytic lesions were observed throughout the spine as well as on the frontal, parietal, and occipital bone, orbital wall and the sella turcica of the sphenoid. Considering the sex and age of the individual and the features of the lesions, the authors propose the diagnosis of Hand-Schueller-Christian's disease. This is the first study to have effectively used MR images in the differential diagnosis of a disease. It also confirmed the CT value in revealing central nervous system involvement just by detecting skeletal lesions. Although the mummy was previously dated to 3rd century B.C. based on the properties of the sarcophagi, the sex of the mummy suggests that it was most probably transferred into these sarcophagi in later times. The mummification techniques used and radiometric data (C14) dated it to 900-790. B.C.
authors: University of Zagreb, Dubrava University Hospital, Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, Zagreb, Croatia. mislav.cavka@yahoo.com
authors: Mislav
authors: M
authors: Cavka
authors: Anja
authors: A
authors: Petaros
authors: Gordana
authors: G
authors: Ivanac
authors: Lejla
authors: L
authors: Aganović
authors: Ivor
authors: I
authors: Janković
authors: Gert
authors: G
authors: Reiter
authors: Peter
authors: P
authors: Speier
authors: Sonja
authors: S
authors: Nielles-Vallespin
authors: Boris
authors: B
authors: Brkljacić
mesh_terms: D017523:Croatia; D004534:Egypt; D006646:Histiocytosis, Langerhans-Cell / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology*; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D009106:Mummies / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology*; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000379:methods*; D055815:Young Adult