Pages

Wednesday, January 14, 2015

3 Year Old Child With Protein Calorie Malnutrition

An X-ray of chest taken of a child with protein- calorie malnutrition and delayed developmental milestones is shown below.



What bony abnormality is seen in the x-ray from this child ?
.
.
.
.
.
Rachitic rosary.

Discussion:
Rachitic rosary refers to expansion of the anterior rib ends at the costochondral junctions and is most frequently seen in rickets.
Causes of this appearance include: 
  • Rickets: nodularity at costochondral junction (rachitic rosary)
  • Scury 
    • the costochondral junction is more angular and has a sharper step-off (scorbutic rosary). 
    • the sternum is usually found to be depressed.
  • Chondrodystrophy
It is important to consider whether this appearance could actually represent healing fractures as a result of child abuse.
Rickets is a condition in which the growing bones in children are softened and weakened because of extreme and prolonged deficiency of Vitamin D. 

No comments:

Post a Comment