Radiographic and CT appearance of intraosseous xanthoma mimicking a malignant lesion

Abstract

In patients with hyperlipoproteinaemia, xanthomas can occur in many sites, including the skeleton. In the reported cases of intraosseous xanthomas, the appearance is usually suggestive of a benign lesion. This report demonstrates the plain film and CT findings of an intraosseous xanthoma which mimics a highly aggressive bone lesion. A 50-year-old black man was referred for investigation and treatment of multiple disabling skin lesions, diagnosed as tuberous xanthoma by excisional biopsy. There was a strong family history of diabetes mellitus and hypertension, but no family history of hyperlipidaemia, xanthomatosis or vascular disease.