title: Imaging of disorders affecting the bone and skin.
abstract: There are a variety of conditions that manifest not only in bone but also in skin. Bone and skin structures can share common embryologic origins, and genetic defects that occur early in cell differentiation may lead to disease in both organ systems. Alternatively, diseases of bone and skin may be caused by defects in genes that participate in directing or controlling both systems. Many diseases of bone and skin can manifest with atypical radiologic findings or mimic malignant bone lesions. Upon encountering such a disease process, a radiologist who is familiar with both aspects of the disorder and consequently looks for associated skin findings can greatly benefit the patient by making a definitive diagnosis. Similarly, a clinician who encounters suggestive skin lesions should be prompted to look for concomitant skeletal lesions. By synthesizing knowledge of bone and skin manifestations, radiologists and clinicians can help correctly diagnose a number of these disease processes, thereby helping patients avoid further, often nonspecific invasive workup and advancing patient care.
authors.affiliation: From the Department of Radiology (P.P.L., S.S.N., J.K.C., R.K.V.) and Division of Dermatology (R.H., R.A.B.), Harbor-UCLA Medical Center, Box 27, 1000 W Carson St, PO Box 2910, Torrance, CA 90509-2910; Department of Family Medicine, USC Keck School of Medicine, Los Angeles, Calif (R.A.B.); and Department of Dermatology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, Calif (D.H.P.).
authors.forename: Peter P
authors.initials: PP
authors.lastname: Lew
authors.forename: Steven S
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Ngai
authors.forename: Reyhaneh
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Hamidi
authors.forename: John K
authors.initials: JK
authors.lastname: Cho
authors.forename: Ron A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Birnbaum
authors.forename: David H
authors.initials: DH
authors.lastname: Peng
authors.forename: Rajeev K
authors.initials: RK
authors.lastname: Varma
mesh_terms: D001847:Bone Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis*; D046169:Dermoscopy / Q000379:methods*; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D012871:Skin Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis*; D013577:Syndrome; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000379:methods*