Paget's disease of the bone: A case report

Paget's disease of bone is rare in Asia. We report a case of Paget's diseas e in a 58-year-old Taiwanese man who was admitted with a 3-month history of bilateral numbness in the buttock region. Laboratory data disclosed an ele vated serum alkaline phosphatase level (510 U/L). Plain radiographs of the lumbar spine showed generalized increased density at the third lumbar verte bra, associated with cortical thickening, loss of cortico-cancellous defini tion, and increased anteroposterior diameter. The T1-weighted magnetic reso nance image of the lumbar spine showed diffuse, heterogeneous low signal in tensity at the third lumbar vertebral body, pedicle, laminae, and spinal pr ofess; these areas showed mixed high and low signal intensity on the T2-2ei ghted image. Technetium-99m bone scan revealed abnormal uptake in the invol ved vertebra. Histologic examination of the third lumbar spinal process con firmed the diagnosis of Paget's disease of bone. The patient remained well during a follow-up period of 6 months.