We report a case of a 47-year-old man who presented with progressive loss of motion and pain in the right shoulder. Radiographs
of the shoulder demonstrated dense ossification in the glenoid and humeral head with extension into the periarticular soft
tissues. CT and MRI scans confirmed the radiographic findings and also revealed ossification of the glenoid labrum. A radiographic
diagnosis of melorheostosis, an uncommon benign sclerosing bone dysplasia, was made. Because of the patient’s severe symptomatology,
he underwent total shoulder arthroplasty. Histological analysis of the resected masses was consistent with melorheostosis
with a few areas covered by a cartilage cap. This case illustrates several uncommon but important features of melorheostosis,
including mechanical obstruction of joint motion requiring joint replacement, ossification of the glenoid labrum, and cartilage-covering
portions of the intra-articular masses, not to be confused with cartilage-producing tumors.
Keywords Melorheostosis - Shoulder - Labrum - Imaging
Presented at the 34th members meeting of the International Skeletal Society, Budapest, Hungary, October 2007.