THE DIAGNOSIS OF SO-CALLED CONSTITUTIONAL BONE DYSMORPHIAS (EMBRYONALOSTEOCHONDROPATHIES)

The authors review the diagnosis of so-called ''consitutional'' bone d iseases. They criticise the international nomenclature and classificat ion of the latter and propose a diagnostic classification for embryona l osteochondropathies, which is virtually independent of the structura l and metabolic criteria, based on the criterion of site and the exten t of pathological manifestations, They also examine the term ''dysmorp hia'' given that it is the shape of the bone segment which first attra cts attention and guides the clinical diagnosis of embryonal osteochro ndropathies.